Just a Kiss
by Sarah Slutz
Summary: A breathlessly romantic, steamy tale of how Goten & Bra fall in love and in lust despite all odds. Nothing will ever be the same after just a kiss... Will Bra finally get her wish? Cannon couples. Full description inside. Currently being rewritten.
1. A Date?

**Just a Kiss****  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 1: A Date?**

Pairings: Mainly Goten/Bra, also Vegita/Bulma & Goku/Chichi

Rating: Mature for sexual content, light swearing and fabulousness :P.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon ball. If I did, this fic would be famous and I would be rich as hell.

Description: Bra has been hopelessly in love with Goten for as long as she can remember. Now that she is a woman, she's sadly resigned to the fact that Goten is out of reach. Or is he? Goten has noticed she's become a woman, and this has complicated their easygoing relationship…Can a kiss ignite the fire between these two? A fire that will burn for all eternity?

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_His hand scorched a burning path down her waist, her hip, ending at her bare thigh. He gripped gently and dragged her to him, bringing their bodies even closer. She felt his breath on her neck, uneven and rasping. _

"_You are _mine_," he growled into her ear–he actually growled. She squirmed in pleasurable agony. That sound was her favorite sound ever. She had to make him do that again. "All mine."_

_She swallowed. "Yes...I am yours."_

_Tangling his free hand in her long hair, he turned her face to his. Eyes dark as night pierced right into her soul. She lost herself in their endless depths._

"_Why did I wait so long to do this?" he asked._

_She smiled, trembling with sheer need. "I don't know."_

_They kissed fiercely, greedy for every last drop of bliss. He let her hair go and grabbed the back of her knees to pull her up; in less than a heartbeat, she wound her legs around his waist. His large hands gripped her ass. Hard._

_More hungry kisses. She was melting into his skin; her entire body felt sinfully boneless. Eventually, needing some much needed air, she managed to pull away a bit, and tossed her hair, giggling breathlessly. All levity died when he ground his hips against hers. "I want you…I want you now."_

_He grinned and let her down, pressing the whole length of his body against hers, digging his fingers into her hips._

_He groaned. "Can you feel how much I want you?"_

_Wordlessly, she reached down and began pulling up his shirt, marveling at the beauty of his chest. His breath hitched and he…_

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OhfortheloveofDendetheKaiousandallthatisholy! Her obsessive fantasies refused to leave her the _hell_ alone.

_Why can't you shut up? S_he screamed at her subconscious, fuming.

The situation was unbearable, and it became worse when she was single–which she was at the moment. Obviously, she was going psycho, scolding her own subconscious. To compound her problem, and now she was horny. _Awesome_.

Bra Briefs huffed and continued driving home, giving the road her full attention now. Thank the gods for Saiya-jin reflexes. The speedometer read 110 mph. She would get home _so_ much quicker if her extended family relaxed about flying. _Joy killers._ So what if someone spotted one of them once in a while? Seriously, they were too uptight.

Even as she grumbled about the "day-flying ban", her thoughts returned to her constant dilemma.

While most men fell at her feet with one of her smiles, she could not have the one she longed for with her soul.

_This is insane._

The little girl in the throes of her first crush was gone. She was a _woman_, three months shy of her twentieth birthday.

Thanks to the combination of her parents' excellent genes, she was beautiful, a thousand times more powerful than all but a handful of humans, and exceptionally intelligent… not to mention _filthy_ rich. Tabloid heiress rich. Whenever she made an entrance, men drooled and women scowled.

She should have been fully satisfied with her life. More than satisfied; ecstatic. In a few years, she would be a famous fashion and interior designer, in charge of Capsule Corporation's numerous buildings' interiors, and playing a big part in her mom's popular clothing line.

The world was at her feet. Indeed, she was rarely denied anything she wanted. _Spoiled_ was a good middle name. She was a princess of the Saiya-jin and the Capsule Corporation legacy. Thus, it was difficult to accept something was missing in her life. What more could she possibly ask for?

_Goten._

She really needed to stop fantasizing about him. He would never see her as anything other than his best friend's little sister, while she would forever adore him madly.

Goten embodied everything she wanted in a man. He was honest, funny, handsome, sexy, strong, easygoing and charming–to name a few of his numerous qualities. Did she mention hot as hell? Sizzling, mind blowing, swoon-inducing _hot_; with his dark eyes, bulging muscles, breathtaking smile, and the unruly mop that could never be tamed. The whole package drove her absolutely crazy. His hair alone had been the topic of many of her fantasies. She wanted to grip it hard while he ran his tongue down her...

_Alright, I'm getting sidetracked...I am supposed to cut back on hopeless daydreaming instead of reflecting on the reasons why I'm thoroughly and absolutely in love_–and in lust–_with him._

The way she was behaving was unhealthy. Years of therapy had turned out to be futile. She often felt her whole life revolved around Goten. Every guy she dated, every man she kissed was a sad and temporary replacement for Goten. Her heart lacked space for anyone else; it was his. As soon as she felt a relationship was getting too intense, she ran away. It was rather pathetic.

Her face pinched sourly. _Face it, it's more than pathetic; it's downright depressing._

Even though he occupied her thoughts more than was healthy, she had a career, friends, family, parties…Her life–and calendar–was jam-packed. And yet, the bitter taste of regret caught her unawares at times.

Bra's cell phone began ringing in her purse. It was Pan's ringtone.

"Whatsup, girl?"

Pan's 3D hologram image smiled. "Getting ready to go to your place."

Bra frowned. "My place? But I thought we were meeting at the library."

"Change of plans. I want to talk to you guys. Oh, and would you please call Marron and Goten?"

"Sure, I'll call Marron, you call Goten," said Bra.

"No can do," Pan said, smirking.

"Come on Pan, don't be a pain," she whined.

Pan shook her head. "I'm doing you a favor. You're going to see him soon anyway. Don't be a wuss. See ya in a little while."

"You're a horrible friend, you know that, right?"

Pan stuck out her tongue and giggled. Seriously, the girl was way too hyper, and having a new boyfriend did _not_ help. She hung up before Bra could argue further.

_Ugh. Great. Just great. Thanks a _lot_ Pan._

Fine, she would call Goten as soon as she got home. She hated it when Pan was right. Why did she want to talk to them anyways?

Her cell phone rang again and Bra automatically took the call. It was some up and coming actor who kept calling her since they met at a cocktail. Honestly, she could not for the life of her remember his name. It was something with a P. Paden? Paolo? Peter? At least he was cute. Very cute.

"Bra, you are looking beautiful as always," P-something said, grinning.

Bra immediately went into flirting mode, giggling softly and flipping her hair. "Thanks."

"I want to take you out this weekend. Anywhere you want, you call the shots."

She smirked, feeling slightly tempted. It would be a nice distraction and from what she could remember of him, he wasn't boring... but no, she wasn't ready yet. Akira and all his drama was still too fresh in her mind.

"That sounds like fun, but I can't. I'm super busy. Maybe some other time?" she asked, flashing him her signature smile to soften the blow.

Looking a bit dazed, P smiled back. "Some other time then."

"Sure, later."

Not five seconds elapsed before another call lit up her cell phone. This time she knew exactly who it was. One of her ex-boyfriends. Grunting, she let it go to voicemail. Bothersome exes were unavoidable. When someone dated as much as she did, it was bound to happen. She wished he would stop it. It was becoming annoying.

She was anxious to get home and get the calls over with she accelerated the car further, pushing the speedometer to a hundred and twenty and coming within inches of causing a dozen car wrecks.

Her thoughts were still running amok while she capsuled her car, a red convertible her mom designed exclusively for her when she turned fifteen. The badass convertible didn't make up for not being able to fly during the day, but it helped a bit.

_Time to make the calls._

The first one was easy. Marron was home sick with a killer case of the flu. Marron blew her nose several times during the video call and Bra laughed when she had a sneezing attack.

"I suggest you use your avatar if anyone else calls," she teased.

Marron glared. "Sure, make fun of the sick girl. You never have to go through this, you freaky alien."

"Half alien, thankyouverymuch," Bra said and they laughed a bit.

As soon as they finished talking, Bra sent a bot to take her some chicken soup, a get-well card, and a chick flick to cheer her up. She also made a mental note to visit her soon.

Pressing Goten's speed dial all the fortitude she was able to muster. She had perfected the art of sounding casual even under duress during her teens. However, her perfection faltered when her crush was concerned.

_Don't be chicken. Just press call. Just do it. It's not a big deal, you're being ridiculous. Stop staring at the screen and _do_ it._

Goten answered the phone after a few rings. He was in the middle of lunch. Bra could see Chichi-san in the background, placing plates on the table. Goten put down the chopsticks long enough to briefly chat with her, longingly eying the bowl in front of him. After a few short sentences, Bra snorted and told him he could go back to pigging out. With a grateful, goofy grin he waved goodbye.

_Okay, that wasn't so bad, right?_

As soon as she was able to slow her heartbeat, she summoned a few service bots and ordered them to tidy up before her friends arrived. She also checked outside, glad to see there were no paparazzi skulking in the vicinity. Her friends would have no need to deal with the idiots to get in. They milled around pretty much daily, hoping to catch a member of her family doing something _interesting_. Of course, the insanity that would ensue if the press got wind of _how__interesting_ their families were would be catastrophic.

Smirking at that thought, Bra headed to the kitchen for a snack, sprinting so fast her feet barely brushed the lush carpet. Her half-Saiya-jin stomach growled painfully, even though she'd eaten two boxes of cereal with milk an hour ago. _Dammit, being Saiya-jin is so infuriating sometimes. Stupid insatiable appetite._

Pausing long enough in front of a gold-plated mirror hanging in the hallway, she checked her appearance.

_Looking hot as usual. Hmmm, should I apply more lipstick?_

Now she wished she had taken longer on her hair and makeup, but she hadn't known about Goten's impending visit…

_You are acting like you're thirteen. __Yuck__._

As soon as Bra opened the kitchen door, a pained groan escaped her lips. Great, Trunks was hogging the refrigerator.

"Hey, dumb-ass, buzz off. I need the fridge!" she complained loudly. Bra was in the mood for a spat, and she could usually count on her hotheaded brother to deliver.

"Wait for your turn, airhead," Trunks mocked, without turning to face her.

"Are you ever going to get tired of being such a jerk-off?" Bra pinched her nose and whined, "And by the way, you stink! Now let me through!" She pushed him and he grunted. Glowering, he turned around, his left hand glowing.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"No you don't...don't you dare!" she screeched. Trunks smirked.

"Go away or your fancy blouse gets it."

She looked down. This wasn't the moment to start this with him. It was a new, expensive blouse which made her boobs look amazing, and well, _Goten_ was coming.

Bra scowled at her brother as fiercely as she could. "You're going to pay for this," she threatened.

Trunks smirked. Dramatically, he started making a small ki ball. "Yeah, yeah...fiiiive, foooourr..."

Bra squeaked and ran out in the name of fashion.

"You're an asshole!" she yelled behind her.

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A little while later, Bra returned to the kitchen, making sure Trunks had left. She grabbed a gallon of juice, a dozen granola bars, a box of cookies and a quart of yogurt, hoping it would be enough. Right as she was finishing her snack, Trunks returned and she stood up, taking a defensive stand. He ignored her and powered up enough to dry his wet hair.

Bra let out a huge sigh. "Good, you bathed. I feared for my health."

He was about to say something when the intercom buzzed. Goten and Pan appeared on the big surveillance TV, making funny faces.

Trunks pressed the intercom button, grinning. "We're in the kitchen, morons."

Bra waited for them to make their appearance, tapping her foot impatiently. She braced herself for the usual shock to her system, straightening her back and lifting her chin.

A minute later, they walked in. Rising, she smiled and waited for Goten to pat her back as usual. Whatever cologne he was wearing smelled heavenly. Bra almost stepped closer to him, wanting more of his scent, but caught herself before moving. She had no desire to do anything embarrassing, like throwing herself at him.

He wore jeans and a tight-fitting green T-shirt which showed off his amazingly muscular, big, hard body. Bra averted her gaze after making eye contact with his gorgeous onyx eyes. One look was all her sanity was able to take at the moment.

It wasn't _fair_. Why did the man have to be so perfectly sexy? The worst–and most painful–part of this whole mess started ever since she turned sixteen. From one day to the next, he avoided touching her except when strictly necessary, keeping a respectful distance. Before this development, she would get away with creating reasons for touching him, like crying on his shoulder, playfully tickling him, and asking him for training "tips" among many others. A few rebuffs later, she'd stopped trying, knowing it was futile.

She greeted Pan with a hug, smiling widely. Her best friend made her feel better at times like these, simply with her presence. She looked pretty in a short skirt and a halter top. Was she wearing the lipstick Bra gave her ages ago? She'd definitely tease her about that later. Obviously, her boyfriend had something to do with this, accomplishing what Bra hadn't been able to achieve over years of whining and begging.

"Whatsup Pan?" Trunks was the first to ask.

"Well, it's about the weekend. I know it's Thursday, and kinda last minute, but do you guys have any plans?"

Despite the fact that Trunks and Goten were several years older than Bra and Pan, they frequently hung out with them, and Marron–who was nine years older than Bra. When the girls were young, Trunks and Goten babysat for them, played with them, tormented them, and helped them with their homework. As Bra and Pan got older the boys became sparring partners, rides, chaperons, and friends. Trunks and Goten at times complained about having to "cart them around", but they knew their bond was special and enduring. Saiya-jins stuck together. They were family, part of a special and exclusive clan. Not to mention an almost extinct race of powerful aliens.

"I got a date with Tram," Trunks informed them smugly.

Goten made a fist and Trunks punched it, flashing him a gorgeous half-smirk.

"At last, you got her to say yes. Did it shock you when she didn't instantly fall at your feet?"

Trunks snickered. "She came to her senses, of course."

Goten laughed uproariously. Bra and Pan shook their heads.

"Seriously guys…as the years go by, you become more immature. Why the heck is that?"

They scowled at her and she tossed her hair and snickered.

"Let's double date. It'll be fun!" Pan said enthusiastically. Bra smirked. This guy really had her excited.

Trunks nodded. "Sounds like a great idea. I'll run it by her."

"I do not have any plans," Bra said. Telling them she'd been asked out would be childish, right?

"Oh yeah, I forgot it's only been a week since…well. I hope you feel up to it this weekend," Pan said.

"Of course, anything for you." Bra reached over and squeezed Pan's hand, knowing what she had left out. It was nice having a friend who understood her so well. Discussing the breakup with anyone else was out of the question. Akira and she had dated for six months–a long relationship when compared to her track record.

"You still haven't told us what this is about, Panny," Goten pointed out.

"Right. Well...the thing is, Ben wants to meet my friends and–"

"That's great!" Bra squealed. "I've been _dying_ to meet him. Lately it's been nothing but 'Ben is so romantic', 'Ben is so cute, 'I can't wait for you to meet Ben' from you. Meeting the friends is almost as serious as meeting the parents."

Trunks started humming the wedding march and they chuckled. Pan shot him an irritated look.

"_Whatever_, Trunks...Like I was saying, I didn't want to pressure him, he's pretty shy." She suddenly bounced on her chair. "Oh, I have such a great feeling about him. He is so sweet and cute…"

Bra saw the stars in her eyes and hoped this guy was genuine, for Pan's sake, and his. She was not above causing grief to someone who harmed her loved ones.

This time it was Goten who began humming. Pan shot him a look, while Trunks and Bra joined in.

"That's not nice, you guys...you better not act like this when you meet him or I'll never introduce you to anyone ever again," Pan complained, glaring balefully.

"She's nervous. Do you think the wedding invitations didn't come out right?" Trunks stage-whispered. Pan reached over and hit him across the head. "Jeez Panny, take a joke."

Goten laughed and stretched back. Bra ran an appreciative eye over his brawny body.

_Bra_, _you're ogling him_. She flipped off her subconscious. _Sue me._

"What 'bout you Goten?" Pan asked.

"I got nothing. Zip. Nada. My social calendar is blank," Goten said with a shrug.

"Blank like your brain?" said Trunks. Goten punched him in the arm. Trunks pretended to be hurt. "Everyone's hitting me," he complained.

"You deserve it," Pan shot back, giggling.

Bra glanced over at Goten. She knew why he'd been avoiding socializing the last couple of weeks. Breaking up was never easy. Goten and Paris dated on and off for five years.

At first, the gang–except for Bra–had loved her, even though she was a _total_ airhead. She was a fun, vivacious, sweet girl and three years younger than Goten. Her infectious giggle delighted her friends. Her body, face, and dark hair were lovely. Unconsciously sexy, the fair Paris looked gorgeous without even trying.

Bra despised her on sight, of course. She loathed any woman who tried to ensnare her Goten.

Towards the end of their relationship however, Paris slowly turned into the girlfriend from hell. From one moment to the next, the social butterfly became so antisocial that Goten barely hung out with anyone else. She also grew to be inexplicably possessive, paranoid, and exceedingly annoying. Her mood swings baffled them, to say the least. Despite it all, breaking it off with her had pained Goten.

Thankfully, Goten looked a lot better than the last time she saw him. She hated seeing him unhappy. He would probably return to the dating market in no time. Bra fiercely disliked the idea. She wasn't sure what was worse: Goten being in a monogamous relationship, or Goten flirting with half the female population of Satan city. A flirt to the core, his reputation nearly surpassed hers, and she'd been told she flirted with anything male.

She involved herself in the conversation again. "What did you have in mind then?" Bra asked Pan.

"Ben and I want to go to the new club that opened last week."

Trunks nodded. "Do you mean 'Shake it up'? I went there on the opening night with some friends. You'd love it. Great music and excellent service…classy and fun. I was already planning on taking her soon." He eyed Goten. "You should take a date as well. I'm sure you got lots of options. If not, I'll totally fix you up."

Bra scowled at her brother. She understood Trunk's desire to encourage his friend to re-enter the dating scene, but she didn't want Trunks pushing Goten into it if he wasn't ready. Hopefully he would never be ready or, better yet, come to his senses and fall in love with _her_.

Goten shook his head. "Thanks buddy, but I'll pass...I don't want to go on a _date_-date. I'd rather go with a friend," Goten replied, gazing straight at Bra. This new turn of events flustered her. What did _that_ look mean?

"Well, Bra doesn't have a date either," Pan said, obviously trying to hold in a giggle.

_Ugh, Pan...stop it, _thought Bra. "Nope, no one," she said aloud.

Pan raised an eyebrow, believing she was being subtle about it. Bra inwardly groaned and merely turned her attention away from her.

_For Pete's sakes, is it possible for you to be any more obvious?_

"Hey, let's go–you and me. What do you say?" Goten asked.

It took a lot for Bra to look Goten in the eye without blushing. He grinned at her in a way that invariably made her heart race. Bra's knees weakened, making her intensely glad she was sitting. She crossed her legs as gracefully as she was able, her mind in a haze. What was she supposed to reply?

_Ohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrapitycrap._

"I would love to," she said with a slight smile, as calm as can be.

Keeping her features even, she turned to study her manicure_. _She felt the heat of his gaze scorching her. Relief flooded her when Pan spoke.

"Then it is settled. We gotta leave, Bra. You didn't forget about going to the library, right?"

Bra looked up to answer Pan and noticed Goten's eyes were still on her. She could not decipher what lurked behind them. Whatever it was, his gaze sent tingles down her spine.

Pan stood up. Bemused, Bra did the same. She nodded at Goten as she struggled to remain composed. Under the cool exterior, her mind raced. _What_ _the hell is wrong with me?_ H_e asked me to go as _friends_. Brain to Bra: Stop being an idiot. Relax! _

"Yes, of course I remember, silly," Bra said, wondering what was her rush.

Pan grabbed Bra's arm, practically dragging her out of the kitchen. She waved at the guys as Pan hauled her away.

"Bye!"

"Bye," Trunks and Goten called out.

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"Where's the fire?" Bra complained, once they were out of earshot.

"You should have made an excuse to get out of it," Pan said.

Clumsily, Bra retrieved the car capsule from her pocket. "Then why were you giggling and stuff?"

"Sorry," Pan said, shrugging. "I was being silly. I know how infatuated you are with Goten; it seemed like such a good idea at the time. Now I realize I shouldn't have done it."

Bra rolled her eyes. "_Now_ you realize this? By the way, nice _subtle_ exit. 'We gotta leave now to go to the library'," she mimicked her in a high excited voice. "Come on, Pan. You can do better than _that_!"

Pan pointedly ignored her comment. "You can still back down. You can claim you have an important test coming up you'd forgotten about, or a modeling gig, a sudden nasty rash–anything to avoid this. This is a bad idea. Bad, bad, bad."

Bra rolled her eyes again. "Seriously, a rash? Eww. Okay Pan, I get it. It's a _bad_ idea. You think I don't know that?"

"You could have said no..."

"I _couldn't_ say no! My brain overloaded… _everyone_ was looking at me."

"So now Trunks, Goten and I are _everyone_? Yeah right…we know the real reason you said yes."

Bra shook her head miserably. "Fine. Yes. Hell, I don't _want_ to back down. You and I know nothing's going to happen, alright? We, us…Goten…together…it's impossible. He's twelve years older than me; he's known me since I was a baby. He wouldn't dare touch me…unfortunately. This is my chance to at least pretend it's possible, even if it's for one night. How can I pass up an opportunity to dance with him?"

The memory of the first–and only–time they had danced flooded her mind.

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Marron's parents threw their blond friend a huge graduation party in honor of her Graduate degree last year.

The music had been awesome, the food sumptuous. Bra had been following Goten's movements for a while, content to sit and watch for the moment, waving away whoever asked her to dance. Without warning, he appeared right in front of her and practically hauled her to the dance floor, to her surprise and utter delight.

"Please rescue me," he whispered into her ear, causing her to beam from ear to ear. "Jessie won't stop stalking me."

Her heart filled with sympathy for the girl. Who wouldn't fall in love with Goten?

She laughed. "Poor Jessie, she loves you."

"Let us not talk about it, please. I can't take it anymore. I'm about to forget she's Marron's friend. The girl is _a freaking pain_," he hissed.

Bra giggled, It was funny to see Goten all worked up; it happened so rarely.

"Awww, I'm sorry. Don't you worry; I'll save you," she said, winking.

"Promise not to stalk me?" he asked, a teasing smile curving his lips in a way that should be deemed illegal.

"Hmmm," Bra said. She pretended to think about it. "Naw, I'm too busy avoiding my own stalkers."

His laughter boomed, and it was music to her ears.

They danced together most of the night and Bra reveled in the jealous glares they were receiving. It had been delightful.

The butterflies in her stomach wouldn't quit fluttering around for weeks following that memorable night. What she would give to repeat it…

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"Can I drive today?" Pan asked, pulling Bra away from her daydream.

"No," she snapped, throwing her car capsule.

Pan whined. "Then let's take my car, come on, I want to drive."

"I said no."

"Plleeeeaaaaase?"

Bra rolled her eyes. "Fine, you big baby."

"Yay." Pan jumped into the driver's seat and began backing out towards the main street.

Bra looked out her window, sighing. Pan gazed at her sympathetically. "Oh Bra…I wish you could get what you want. I can only imagine your frustration all these years. Something's gotta give. I'm worried about you."

"I know. It's pathetic, isn't it? I don't know what to do anymore." Close to tears, Bra pressed her lips together and resolutely gathered herself.

Pan frowned. "Sorry I brought it up. Don't worry, it'll be fine. You'll have fun and pretend for a night. No harm in that, right?" Pan said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I guess."

Pan shot her a mischievous grin. Lighting-quick, she snapped off her seatbelt and disappeared.

"Pan, what the hell!" Bra bellowed.

"What?" came Pan's voice from under the car. Bra dangled from her seat to be able to see. Pan was balancing the moving car on her pinky finger, smirking widely.

"You're so stupid! My mom is going to have my head if this turns up in the news! Come back up here!" she yelled, shrilly.

Pan laughed loudly and returned to the car several minutes later, telling Bra she was being lame as she got screamed at.

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"I swear those girls are totally nuts," Trunks said in an amused tone, as he rummaged in the fridge for something to eat once again. Goten was right behind him doing the same.

He chuckled. "Yeah, they are."

Trunks gave him a sideways look. "So… you and my sister are going on a friendly date."

"Wasn't it a good idea? I am _not_ ready for the scene yet," he said, pretending to shudder.

"Hmmmm," Trunks said, and silently stared darkly at Goten for a whole minute. The fridge's door was open and he was holding a loaf of bread.

Goten finished preparing a sandwich. He looked up and tilted his head in confusion. "_What_?"

"Do you have a thing for my sister?" Trunks asked, scowling darkly.

"What the...hell no! She is your little sister. Are you insane? I just want to hang out with a friend, that's all." Goten said energetically, shaking his head and opening his eyes wide at the implication of his friend's words.

He did his best to make it sound like Bra was the _last_ woman on Earth he would be interested in.

Trunks didn't say anything for a few seconds and then snorted loudly, throwing his head back. "Ha ha, got you!"

"You _idiot_!" Goten said, laughing along with Trunks, the hilarity a bit forced. He surprised himself as he realized the idea of finding Bra attractive was not as amusing to him as it was to Trunks.

Trunks was doubled up in laughter. "You should've seen your face…Come on, you and my sister?" He laughed again and Goten stopped himself from scowling. He was laying it on rather thick.

It wasn't _that_ funny.

_She's become such a beautiful…woman? Yes, woman, she was one now, right?_

He could still remember her as a little hellion, always stomping her foot to get her way. He grinned at the memory.

That night, he went to sleep reminiscing about the time they danced at Marron's party and how much fun they'd had.

To be continued...

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_Pretty please, click on that little button down there. You know you want to =)_

_Thank you to all those who have helped me with this fic… there are too many to mention._


	2. Meeting the friends

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 2: Meeting the Friends**

Pairings: Mainly Goten/Bra, also Vegita/Bulma & Goku/Chichi

Rating: Mature for sexual content, light swearing and fabulousness :P.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball. Sadly.

Description: Bra has been hopelessly in love with Goten for as long as she can remember. Now that she is a woman, she's sadly resigned to the fact that Goten is out of reach. Or is he? Goten has noticed she's become a woman, and this has complicated their easygoing relationship…Can a kiss ignite the fire between these two? A fire that will burn for all eternity?

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**Bra**

The next day, after classes at West Academy of Art were out, Bra met up with Pan at her house to hang out.

As soon as they met face to face, Bra knew Pan's concerned mindset from the previous day was gone.

"What are you smirking about?" Bra said a bit sharply.

Bra really wasn't in the mood for witty banter. A pounding headache had been plaguing her all day. She was already sick and tired of thinking about Goten, and she _really _didn't want to hear Pan's opinions on the subject.

"You're in serious trouble, my friend. Will you be able to control yourself tomorrow?" Pan asked.

"You said it would be fine," said Bra.

"I guess I did. But…I know we're going shopping...and we both know what that means, huh?"

Bra grinned in spite of herself. Whenever she had a hot date, she got a new outfit.

It was evident they were headed to the spectacularly huge Satan Mall.

Bra sighed as she turned on the car's ignition, while Pan continued smirking.

"Damn it, it's like you can read my mind. Oh, cut it out and put on some good music. And stop smirking like that; you have no _frigging_ idea how incredibly annoying you are."

Pan giggled and leaned back on the leather seat, smiling cheerfully. Bra felt like throwing her out the car right then and there. Anyway, It's not like she would get hurt.

"Whatever. Just don't buy anything too sexy," said Pan.

Bra chuckled a bit in spite of herself. Pan had succeeded in lightening the mood, just as a good friend is wont to do.

--------------------------------------------------

Pan frowned as Bra modeled a denim halter mini-dress in front of one of the many mirrors lining the walls of 'Denim Fantasy'.

"Well, so much for _that_ plan," Pan muttered.

"I heard that," Bra said.

Pan rolled her eyes. "That was the point."

It was one of those rare boutiques where both of them could shop. While Bra had a black credit card with practically no limit, Pan was on financial aid and a modest scholarship.

"It's too sexy," said Pan, pointing out the obvious. The dress fitted Bra like a glove.

"But I like it."

"Yes, obviously, but…"

Bra ignored her, already heading into the dressing room to take it off so she could purchase it. Bra giggled when she noticed Pan shaking her head, and headed back in to try on some other outfits she'd selected.

As Bra changed clothes, she heard Pan's cell ringing and her grumbling as she searched for it.

"Babe, I was about to call you," Pan said, her voice all warm. "No, I swear...Come on, I'm being serious." She laughed and Bra was surprised to hear the husky quality of it.

"Tonight? Well, I was going to hang out with Bra… No, no, I think she wouldn't mind… I'm sure… I'm positive she won't be mortally offend...Oh jeez. Fine, I'll ask her."

Pan made a big show of raising her voice so Bra would hear her. "Bra, would it be okay if I go with Ben to dinner today?"

Bra smirked. "I'll make the sacrifice of having to change my plans."

"See, it's all right... See ya at eight?...Love you too."

She flipped her cell phone closed and positively beamed at Bra as she emerged from the dressing room. "I still can't believe we're already saying 'I love you'."

Bra grinned back. "I would hug you if my arms could move in this blouse. Help me out of it."

--------------------------------------------------

When Bra got home that day holding several shopping bags, she was greeted by the very common racket of her parents' spirited arguing. _For goodness' sakes, here they go again… _

"What the _hell_ do you mean you won't help me with Trunks?" her mom screamed shrilly, making Bra wince.

"Has your hearing been affected by old age, Woman? I said, _I do not care_. Let me repeat that more emphatically. I do not CARE," Dad replied, his voice a bit lower than her mom's, but still loud enough to make Bra wince again.

"Your son is acting in a completely irresponsible manner! His secretary told me that he left the office at midday three times last week and never returned. He missed an important meeting yesterday and still refuses to wear a suit when meeting with clients! He is the future president of Capsule Corporation! His behavior is not acceptable and you WILL help me."

"Bulma," Dad growled, "I said NO. I don't concern myself with any of your company's petty issues. It is _your_ company to run. Don't come here crying to me about it. I will not talk to the boy. Understand?"

"My company's _petty_ issues? Let me remind you that Capsule Corporation and my genius are what keep us in the lap of luxury," she said, spreading her arms, illustrating how well they lived.

In response, Dad merely shrugged indifferently. Mom's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"This isn't over."

Abruptly, she turned around and stalked off, her back so stiff Bra thought it was about to break. Her dad smirked slightly before regally walking in the other direction; most likely to the kitchen or the gravity chamber, his two favorite places.

Bra grunted and went up the stairs towards her room. Rating it from one to ten, that argument had scored a measly two. It was obvious her mother had already known Father wasn't going to talk to Trunks. He could care less. Most likely Mom would use the "fight" to her advantage later.

She'd seen her parents argue too many times to worry about it. That night at dinner, Mom would ignore Dad pointedly while he would remain even more silent and aloof than usual. By nighttime they'd be talking again...until their next argument. God knew she'd caught them in compromising positions after an argument enough times to traumatize her. They'd been together over thirty years, so it obviously worked.

Her cell phone rang and she fumbled a bit with all her stuff before getting to it.

"Hey Bra, wanna spar for a bit?" Pan's 3D image was smiling widely, already dressed in sweats and a ratty tank top.

Bra shook her head. "I don't think so. I don't want to be all bruised up for tomorrow."

"Come on, you'll heal by tomorrow night, pretty please?"

Bra huffed and finally relented. "Fine, where do you want to do it?"

"Let's go to that meadow between the mountains," Pan suggested.

"I don't think it should be called a meadow anymore, as burned as it is."

Pan crossed her arms. "Are we going to argue semantics or are we going to spar?"

Bra sighed. "Fine, I'll meet you there."

She dressed in comfortable sweats and a spandex top, rolling her eyes at herself in the mirror. Why couldn't she just say no to Pan?

They met up and Pan was eager to start right away. Bra made an effort to concentrate on the mock-fight but her brain was a muddled ocean of thoughts, all related to Goten and the next day's outing.

After an hour of mostly fending off Pan's attacks, Bra was relieved when Pan grumbled, "Bra, this is boring, you're not concentrating."

Bra pouted. "I'm so sorry, I'm just…"

"Yeah, yeah… Goten, Goten, Goten. Ugh, you owe me for next time."

"Sure thing," she said, sighing in relief. "Sorry, for real. I promise you a good session next time."

Pan nodded. "Eh, fine. I'll hold you to that."

That night, Bra wasn't able to sleep much.

--------------------------------------------------

The morning of the "date", Bra woke up determined to have a great day. The whole club incident had been casual and friendly. She was NOT going to act as if it had meant more. Even if it _killed_ her.

The day zoomed by, and soon Pan and Bra found themselves getting ready for the night's fun. Bra donned the new barely-there mini-dress she'd purchased and complemented it with uncomfortable, but gorgeous, stilettos. Makeup was applied next. When Pan showed up at her house, she was in rollers and ready to be coiffed.

Bra styled Pan's shoulder-length black hair in loose waves and made up her brown eyes to make them pop.

"I can't wait to meet Ben," Bra said as she watched Pan get dressed.

"I know, me neither! I didn't want to push him into it but if one more week had gone by, I would have said something. Oh, I just hope you like him."

"If you like him, I'll like him," Bra said loyally.

"That's what you always say," Pan said as she straightened up and turned to the mirror next to Bra. "But then you start picking on all their flaws. Go easy on this one, all right? He's important."

Bra smirked. "I'll try."

"Some guys are good enough for me, you know," Pan said.

Bra snorted. They continued getting ready in silence for a few more minutes.

"Seems like we're ready," Bra said, staring at herself in the mirror nervously.

Pan nodded, seemingly satisfied with her appearance. "Yep."

"Is this a little much for tonight? Tell me the truth," Bra anxiously asked, smoothing down the clinging material.

"You know you look stunning. What's all this insecurity all of a sudden? Since when have you ever been afraid of bearing skin?"

"Since your uncle asked me on a date that's not really a date. Oh gods. Do you think he likes me? As more than just his best friend's kid sister?"

Pan sighed and shook her head; they'd had this conversation about ten million times, but Bra didn't care. That's what friends were for–listening to their friends' crap over and over and over.

"Honestly, I don't know. But I really think you're treading on dangerous ground here. Promise me you won't use any of your famous moves tonight."

Bra flashed her an indignant glare, but then chuckled. "Famous? I wish. Anyways, I taught you those moves, so you should be thankful."

Pan sent Bra a sardonic smirk until Bra laughed. "Okay, okay...I promise," she regretfully agreed. "I'm just really nervous all of a sudden."

"You? _Nervous_?" Pan gasped, a hand flying to her chest dramatically. "That's not possible! My world is coming apart!"

Bra laughed and tossed her hair, striking her most confident pose. "How's that?"

She sighed in exaggerated relief. "Much better."

Still giggling, they headed down to the living room area to find Trunks cuddled next to a really cute redhead who seemed really sophisticated and smart –a welcome contrast to the pretty but unsubstantial girls he usually dated.

"This is Tram," Trunks said, beaming at his companion and then at them. "Tram, that's my sister Bra, and that's her Siamese twin, Pan."

Bra glared at him. "Ha, ha, ha."

"Nice to meet you," Pan said, holding in her laughter.

"Yes, nice to _finally_ meet you," Bra said with an impish smile. "We've heard _so_ much about you."

Tram turned to Trunks and batted her eyelashes dramatically. "Really? What exactly have you said about me, Trunks?"

Bra let out a surprised guffaw. _So she is funny too, cool. Maybe this one will work out._

Before anyone was able to say anything else, the intercom beeped.

"Goten is here already? He actually showed up on time. He must be really itching to go," Trunks said. He stood up and walked towards the entrance of the living room, not noticing how much his sister blushed in his wake.

Trunks and Goten walked in and began exchanging greetings. He kissed Bra on the cheek, much to her surprise. No one else seemed to notice, though, being so caught up by Trunks' effusive introduction of Tram. Goten hadn't greeted her that way in years.

Apparently, their relationship seemed to be ready for a change, because he was even so bold as to place an arm around her shoulders as they sat on a soft leather couch. They sat silently next to each other as Trunks, Pan and Tram chatted.

"So how did you guys meet?" Pan asked.

Tram smiled widely. "Well, Trunks had been sending me these looks, you know, for months but I kept ignoring him. I'd heard he was a flirt and had dated half the female staff of Capsule Corp."

"That is grossly exaggerated…" Trunks said, blushing.

"Regardless, I didn't trust him and his suave ways. But one day I caught him doing something so cute and it just made me change my mind."

Trunks groaned. "Please don't say it."

Bra chuckled. "Yes, please do."

"Yeah Bro, don't be a party pooper," Goten said.

"Well, he came in one day with a stray puppy. Trunks had seen him crossing the street while he was driving to work and he didn't want him to get run over. It was smelly and dirty but Trunks was carrying him in his arms. He had been closer to the office than anywhere else. He got a box and made holes in it to keep him in there. Then he had someone take the dog to the humane society. Everyone in the office stopped what they were doing to see what was going on. I'm telling you, it was too cute."

"Awwwwww," Pan and Bra said at the same time.

"Haha, nice one Trunks," said Goten.

During the conversation, Bra caught Goten stealing looks at her several times from her peripheral vision.

She was feeling a lot better about her outfit.

Ben arrived five minutes later and found the little group already gathered together. Introductions were made; Pan was looking radiant. He was handsome in a boyish ah-shucks kind of way. He smiled often but seemed a bit nervous, although his smile was always brighter when he looked at Pan.

Bra was very happy for her friend… well, perhaps ninety percent happy, ten percent jealous. How long had it been since she felt the way Pan looked?

She glanced at Goten, who was also appraising Ben. Their eyes met, and he grinned at her, as if there was a private joke only the two of them understood. Smiling back brightly, she didn't feel like breaking their eye contact.

Her mother chose that moment to sail in, dressed to kill in a little red dress and super high heels. Her blue shoulder-length hair was straightened, and it swung around as she shook her head in exasperation.

"Kids, by any chance have you seen your father? He promised he would be ready on time today. We're going to miss the reservation," Mom complained, both hands on her curvy hips.

Bra smirked as she witnessed the growing unease of her older brother. He blushed and looked painfully embarrassed; everyone was hard-pressed not to laugh. Tram coughed and Pan's hand flew to her mouth. Goten didn't bother pretending he didn't find this hilarious.

Tram extended her hand graciously. "Hi Mrs. Briefs. Nice to meet you, I'm Tram."

"Oh, hi Tram. Sorry about my manners. You can call me Bulma. All of Trunks' friends do." She winked and Tram smiled back. "And it's very nice to meet you as well."

Trunks was squirming like an army of ants had just invaded his pants. Finally, Goten couldn't contain it anymore and let out a chuckle.

"I've seen you so many times in the media, I always wondered if you were as beautiful in person," said Tram.

Mom fluffed her hair. "Why, thank you. Flattery always works with me."

They laughed and Mom said, "Love your dress!"

Tram grinned. "Of course you do, it's your design."

"It did look familiar," Mom replied, laughing. "I won't keep you any longer. I still have to find my husband."

Trunks leaned in to whisper in their mom's ear. She was able to hear it loud and clear thanks to her enhanced Saiya-jin hearing.

"Dad's hiding in the fourth floor."

Mom rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

Bra shook her head and muttered, "Traitor." Trunks shrugged.

"Have fun!" Mom said, breaking their staring war, beaming and waving them away.

Bra grinned, imagining what kind of trouble her dad was in.

They headed for the entrance, and she heard Tram tell Trunks, "Your mom is gorgeous! She looks way too young to be your mother." Bra wasn't able to hear Trunks' reply but he was blushing yet again.

"Would you mind taking your car?" asked Goten. "We don't all fit in Trunks' and yours is so much nicer than mine."

Bra stared at him for a moment, transfixed. _Wow, he is so gorgeous._

_Calm down, calm down, calm down! Don't be an idiot. Remember, even breathing, no blushing, no flirting, no nothing. Do NOT embarrass yourself Bra Briefs._

Bra threw her car capsule. "Wow, you car looks great!" Goten said.

She knew it was merely a reference to her car, but she blushed anyway, squeaking. "Thanks, I just had new rims, lights and some other accessories put in."

"Cool," he said, examining the car further. Bra unlocked the car and Goten was right behind her.

"Allow me," he said, opening the door for her. She smiled at him and took a couple of deep breaths as he made his way to the passenger's seat.

They got on the road and Bra picked a random radio station. Music would soothe her nerves and fill the silence. She had been in such a hurry to follow Trunks' wild driving that she'd forgotten to strap on her seatbelt. Clumsily, she tried to strap it on as she held onto the steering wheel with one hand.

Goten reached across her chest to help, his right hand brushing her breast for an instant. Her eyes immediately snapped to his face and his hand dropped away as if the heat of her skin had burned him.

"Sorry," he croaked out, glancing away.

"It's okay."

_Oh, you have no idea how __okay__ it was. __Can you please do it again? _

She peered back at the road, not wanting to get into a car-wreck for acting like a stupid teenage girl. She was nineteen and acting like a 14-year-old on her first date. All of a sudden, the whole situation made her giggle.

"Why are you laughing?" Goten asked her casually. She was aware that there was something lurking underneath his apparent nonchalant manner, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was. She'd discovered through years of observing him that Goten had lots of layers most didn't see.

"Oh, nothing much. Just remembering all the times when you guys wouldn't take me with you when you went out," she lied glibly. _When did I learn to do that so well? _

Goten sniggered. "You did whine a lot."

"No I didn't!" Bra exclaimed, mock-insulted.

"Yes you did. You even tried to sneak into Trunks' car once. Remember how we caught you little brats?"

Bra was the one who chuckled now, shaking her head at the memory. She hadn't known how to mask her energy signature back then. "I had totally forgotten you two were able to detect ki."

"Quite an important factor to keep in mind, don't you think?"

Bra smiled at him and Goten smiled back, his happy-go-lucky grin melting her insides.

"Thanks for coming with me. We're going to have fun tonight, aren't we?"

Touched, Bra glanced at him, a feeling of great tenderness rising in her chest. "Yeah, we will. And I should thank you for acting as my faux date. You could've asked anyone else."

He shrugged and faced the window, almost sighing. "I guess I could have, but I wasn't in the mood. You're a really cool girl, and I know I'll have fun with you. I won't have to pretend or act any different, you know what I mean?" he asked as he turned to eye her. She knew exactly how it felt to always have to act perky, sexy and witty all the time to keep up an image, even when one didn't feel like it.

Perhaps tonight they could both stop pretending together.

She was pleased and surprised that he had opened up to her like that. Maybe he would never see her as anything more than a friend, but he certainly didn't consider her a little girl anymore.

"I know exactly what you mean," she whispered.

To be continued...

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_Hey, look, a review button… you should really click on it =)_


	3. A Kiss in the Dark

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 3: A Kiss in the Dark**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

"Wow, this place is nice," Tram voiced out, as she grabbed on to Trunks' arm and glanced around appreciatively.

"_Hai_. It's _sugoi_, right, babe?" Ben asked Pan. She grinned and nodded, squeezing his hand.

The nightclub was packed with dancing, drinking and smooching couples and singles. The place had three sections. The bar was positioned in the corner of the dancing floor, so you could jump from the bar stools and begin dancing in a matter of seconds. The dance floor was huge. There were light reflectors in the corner of the walls, flashing colorful lights to the dancing floor. There was also smoke seemingly coming out of the dance floor, since the smoke machine wasn't visible.

The third section was almost like a little café in the other corner of the club. It was a V.I.P. section, to which both Trunks and Bra had access. There were chairs and tables spread all over, all decorated in electric blue. The waiters and waitresses were also all dressed in blue, and they all seemed to be busy taking orders and serving people their drinks and food.

"Let's go sit down for a while guys. I'd like to order some chicken wings before dancing," Goten said, flashing the little group a cheerful smile. Trunks groaned and shook his head.

"How come you didn't eat before leaving your place?" he asked his friend.

"I did. I'm just still hungry. Besides, I think we all feel like doing a little drinking for starters, right?" Goten retorted.

"Sure. I feel like eating a little something too," Bra said.

Bra grinned at Goten and he reciprocated the action. She knew she shouldn't be so intense, but she couldn't help herself as she then winked at him.

Bra hadn't known what to do when Goten got off the car and opened the door for her when they arrived to the club. Should she be bold and take his arm or just wait to see if he wanted to do it himself? After all, this wasn't supposed to be a date... but she really felt like walking in by his side, arms wrapped around each other. He looked so adorable with that tight white muscle shirt and brown cargo pants he was wearing. The temptation to touch him somehow was almost irresistible. If he were anyone else, she would have just done whatever came naturally, but it was _Goten_. She didn't want to make any mistakes with him.

Thankfully, he had relived her of her momentary dilemma as he had smoothly and extremely casually wrapped his arm around her waist after helping her out of the car. In that moment, she had felt like she was in heaven, floating in the clouds or any other of those corny phrases. Again, she knew she was acting like a teenager on her first date, but being like this with Goten was exhilarating. _He_ was exhilarating.

Bra had felt a twinge of worry when her brother's eyes had flickered to that point of contact between them, but then he merely smiled a bit and turned his attention to his own date. Still, something in the way his eyes had flashed worried her. She didn't want her brother spoiling whatever could happen between them. At the same time, she didn't want to get her hopes up. After all, it was all still in her imagination. Nothing was factual yet... except for the heavenly sensation of Goten's arm around her.

"Yeah, I guess we can eat something," Trunks said, interrupting her swirling thoughts, already turning to the table section of the club. _Eating?_ Bra thought, confused for a second._ Oh, that's right. Goten, the appetite on legs wanted to eat. _ A glowing Pan and her equally giddy-looking boyfriend followed them, as did Bra and Goten, flanking the group.

Pan looked so happy it made Bra feel pleased for her best friend and yet so envious of her too. As she smiled at Pan and her boyfriend, she mused about how they hadn't become close friends until her senior year of high school. In fact, they had merely been acquaintances. Since Pan was a year younger than her, it had been her junior year. Pan had always thought Bra was snobby and a bit of a slut and Bra had believed Pan was tomboyish and antisocial. Even though their families had always been very close and they had been constantly thrown in together, they didn't know each other very well.

Everything changed when they found themselves taking two classes together, and when they both began working closely together in the Prom committee. They started seeing each other in a different light. Pan had realized Bra wasn't as snobby as she had previously thought, and as for the slutty part - it was a combination of her very genuine effort to find the right guy, the fact she was very boy-crazy, and her money and fame. That blend led a lot of guys to proclaim they had gone a lot further with Bra than they actually had. A slight flirtation became a full blown relationship. A kiss equaled a week in her bed. Her extreme success with men made a lot of girls feel jealous and spurred them to spread all sort of awful rumors about her.

It would all be fine and dandy if they were just little high school rumors, but her notoriety propelled the situation into tabloid fodder. Thus, Bra had gotten tired of trying to clean her image long ago, and had decided to use it to her advantage. All it took was for Pan to spend some more time with her to realize all of this.

Bra had also understood Pan wasn't antisocial, just very cautious about whom she selected as a friend and the tomboyish part was more endearing than annoying. In any case, it had lessened a lot thanks to Bra's constant badgering and waving around of fashion magazines.

By the time Bra graduated and started college and Pan was in her senior year, they had become extremely close. Now that they were both in college, they did everything together. They had even almost opted for the same major, but then Bra had switched to fashion at the last minute.

With those thoughts accompanying her, Bra smirked at Pan as they both sat down with their "dates". Goten ordered his chicken wings and everyone had a round of drinks to start off the night.

Bra wasn't used to drinking at all. Sure, she drank once in a while at parties and all the social events she went to or when she would get together with her friends to talk about guys and eat junk food, but did so sparingly. She barely touched the chicken wings, and she ended up giving most of them to Goten, who received them with a wink. He was such a messy eater. Even though he was making an effort because they were in public, he was still eating way too fast and already had two greasy spots on his face.

_I should be appalled at this... but I can understand his appetite, being half Saiya-jin myself. Besides, I can appreciate a man who is himself at all times_, Bra reflected, shaking her head as Goten munched on her chicken wings. For Bra, seeing a man who acted natural and was so unselfconscious was very refreshing compared to all of the phony, plastic men she so often met and even dated

The music blared and the group laughed, chatted and teased. Trunks bought a another round of "Sex on the Beach" for the table and they received the waitress with cheers. As they were all sipping on their drinks, Tram whispered something into Trunks' ear. Following this, they stood up wordlessly and walked to the dance floor together, leaving both their drinks unfinished.

Ben sent Pan a naughty look, and they also rose to go dance. It was quite a catchy song, and both couples were accomplished dancers.

Bra examined her cocktail glass a bit too intently while she wondered if Goten was going to ask her to dance as well. Maybe _she_ should ask _him_. After all, this was just a fun outing for both of them. There wasn't anything wrong with asking him to dance. She didn't think it could be considered flirting.

As she turned around to pop the question, he also glanced at her and grinned. The thoughts and words that were going to come out of her mouth abruptly got stuck in her throat. She was struck speechless by his grin, and felt like a deer caught in headlights. His smile weakened her nervous system, making her feel boneless and tingly.

"You probably want to dance, right?" he asked her, with a decidedly mischievous tone of voice. "You must have read my mind. I want to dance too," he told her. Then he stood up, held her hand grinning from ear to ear and led her to the dance floor.

They began moving together to the beat of the music. Goten wrapped both of his arms around her waist, and she wrapped hers around his wide shoulders. Their heads were touching as Goten whispered in her ear, "I've wanted to dance with you again since Marron's party. You're a really good dancer."

He was so open and honest, completely genuine. She couldn't even say he was flirting because it had come out as a simple statement. Bra smiled and pulled back a bit to look into his eyes. She had to look up a distance, since he topped her by eight inches. Her four-inch heels halved the distance, increasing her height to 5'6".

"_Arigatou_," she said a bit loudly, batting her eyelashes slightly as she thanked him prettily. Really, she just couldn't help it. They had to speak up so they could be heard over the music. Goten's whispering had actually been almost yelling. "You aren't a bad dancer yourself," she stated, winking at him and then leaning into him once more.

She felt his arms tighten around her waist and thought she heard him sigh. But it could have been her overactive imagination or just wishful thinking. She had downed two "Sex on the Beach" drinks quite quickly, and she was feeling slightly woozy. Her hearing couldn't be relied upon. Not caring about the consequences, she also sighed and they continued dancing.

All of a sudden, the slightly slow and catchy reggae they had been swaying to changed to a fast and pounding Merengue. Goten pulled away to hold both her hands and twirled her around. They hadn't danced Merengue at Marron's party. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw how well he danced it. It seemed he did everything well. He was a fighter after all and had the grace to prove it. There wasn't much of a difference between dancing and doing katas. They moved to the beat perfectly as he held her close again. She couldn't help but wonder how well he kissed as they dipped and twirled and moved to the beat of the music while they held on to each other.

Trying to distract her wayward thoughts, Bra peered around to see if she could spot Trunks and Tram. She saw them dancing right next to Ben and Pan. The two couples were talking. Ben and Pan nodded and then Trunks and Tram moved away from the dance floor and headed for the exit.

"Goten... I think Trunks and Tram just left."

He pulled off a bit to look at her and shook his head. "Really?"

"Yes. I saw them talking to Ben and Pan and then they headed towards the exit wrapped around each other."

"Well, she looks really nice. It's about time he found someone nice," he mussed, smiling to himself.

"I know what you mean; he doesn't usually go for the nice kind, does he?"

They both chucked and then dancing for quite a while more, moving to the rhythm of House, Reggae, Salsa, Merengue and even a couple of slow songs. Neither of them commented on Trunks' leaving and later on, Bra would wonder why they were so unconcerned about that development.

The truth was Bra was having the time of her life. Goten had turned out to be an even better dancer than she thought, and that was saying a lot. They made a terrific pair. Several eyes followed their progress, admiring their good looks and skill. After a while though, she started feeling thirsty, though. That's why she smiled and nodded when Goten said, "Let's go have some more drinks."

They headed for their table, and found Ben and Pan were already seated, drinking, giggling and indulging in public displays of affection. Ben whispered into Pan's ear, and Bra chuckled at Pan's reaction to whatever he told her. Smiling, she mused she'd never seen Pan blush so hard.

"Now, that looks like fun," Goten told her, grinning. Bra smirked, and wondered which part he meant, the making out or the being buzzed part. "Let's order those drinks quickly, before they get wasted before we do."

She smirked and replied, "We'll need stronger drinks, Ben being human and Pan only being one quarter Saiya-jin."

"Yes, let's order mixed drinks," he suggested. They proceeded to order a glass of Baileys, a Long Island Ice Tea, a Sex on the Beach and a Kamikaze each, not to mention at least six shots of some rum concoction. By the time they were through with the last shot, they were both slurring their speech some and acing a bit silly.

"Have I mentioned you look absolutely gorgeous tonight?" he asked her, staring directly at her with no inhibitions.

Bra giggled and batted her eyelashes, this time it wasn't subtle. "What about you? You're the hottest guy here."

They both giggled. Bra was feeling so giddy and happy; she couldn't believe things were going so well. She glanced at Goten and was slightly surprised when she noticed how close his face was to hers. _When had he moved so close? _she wondered bemusedly _as_ she simply beamed.

"I can't believe you're the same girl who gave me so much trouble that one day I babysat for her like ten years ago. You made me fly after you for hours. After that, I quit the babysitting business."

Bra frowned at that. "Come on, Goten. That was a long time ago. Do your really see me that way still?" she asked him, her speech slow to compensate for the slurring.

Goten smirked and leaned even closer. "You wanna hear a secret?"

Bra only nodded, losing herself in his eyes.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

Bra had been called beautiful so many times the word had pretty much lost its meaning for her. However, coming from Goten's lips, no matter how drunk he was, held a wealth of import for her. He was as genuine as it got. If he said she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, it was the truth and not some made up line to make her loosen up and drop her inhibitions. She blushed so hard she could feel heat crawling down her chest. She must be as red as a tomato by now.

His face was so close to hers, she could feel his breath on her skin. She gazed at his perfectly formed lips and parted hers unconsciously, imagining herself being so forward as to incline her head and make the two inches separating their lips disappear.

Apparently, that look was all it took for Goten's control to slip. He finally closed the space between their faces and kissed her; a soft meeting and melding of their lips. Then another and another, until he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him, using his tongue to kiss her deeply, obliterating all her thoughts, making all of her fantasies come true. Bra's body tingled and her arms felt at home wrapped around his shoulders. It was better than any dream she'd ever had of this moment.

Her tongue intertwined with his when he offered it shyly. Bra groaned when he nipped her lower lip. She tilted her head, permitting deeper access and he complied. His taste was amazing and she savored it slowly as her head spun and her blood drained from her head in exhilaration.

It was she who pulled away after a while and whispered, "I think it is time to take you home."

For the life of her, she couldn't decide if she was inviting herself to his place for more or if she was trying to stop the monsoon she knew was descending on them if they kept this up. Because she knew that now that the dam had broken, there was no way of patching it back up.

To be continued...

Japanese words used in this chapter:

hai: yes  
sugoi: cool  
arigatou: thanks

_Author's notes: __I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	4. The F Word

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 4: The F Word **

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

Bra was so startled by the phone's ring she almost jumped out of bed. She held her head and moaned softly. It felt like thousands of tiny little soldiers were banging each other against the walls of her skull. She moved her arms and hands to be able to get the stupid phone, but just that tiny effort made her realize how groggy she felt. She finally managed to grab the phone after untangling herself from her custom made, imported silk sheets.

"_Moshi, moshi_," she groaned.

"Hey, Bra," answered an equally rough voice.

"Pan? You sound just as hung over as me."

Pan giggled and then groaned again. "Probably quite as bad as you. At least I didn't go off with Goten!" she pointed out accusingly.

Bra sat speechless and immediately stared down at herself. She was wearing the same clothes from last night. She sighed in relief.

"Of course you didn't go off with Goten, he's your uncle," Bra replied in a weak attempt at humor. Memories from the latest mess she'd gotten herself into flooded her consciousness and she frowned in consternation. What have I gotten myself into now?

"So what happened… did you guys… umm... _do it_?" Pan inquired after Bra's pause.

"No... I'm pretty sure of that. I am still wearing last night's clothes," Bra replied without any embarrassment. She'd told Pan about much more embarrassing events, including the moment in which she'd lost her virginity and then was promptly stabbed in the back. She had been barely eighteen and had been dating Hiroshi for a few months. He'd swept her off her feet and she had foolishly believed herself to be in love. Only Pan knew the whole story and the fact she hadn't gone to bed with another man ever since he had broken her heart and betrayed her in the worst possible way.

Hiroshi had even proposed shortly after their lovemaking, but they had kept their engagement a secret. A week later she found out he had been cheating on her the whole time. The worst part is the rumors he spread about her.

It had been quite the humbling experience… Bra, the beautiful, rich, spoiled heiress of Capsule Corporation had been callously played by her own boyfriend.

Marron, her mom or her other friends didn't really know all the details of what had occurred.

"So then what happened?" Pan asked. "One minute I am making out and dancing with Ben, you guys seemed to be getting a bit too friendly. But I was so distracted that I didn't go through with my thought of pulling you to the ladies room to ask you what was going on... and then next, you're gone! And flying for that matter. You left your car parked in front of the club. How were we supposed to get home, huh? Trunks left, so you knew _you_ had to give us a ride... I hope your car was stolen. We had to take a cab," she finished grumpily.

"Hey, wait a second! First of all, slow down. My head hurts," complained Bra, still suffering from a hangover. "Second, I'm sorry okay? I didn't mean to leave you guys without a ride. I apologize."

"You got horny and left to do it with Goten," Pan voiced out in a brittle voice.

"I already said I didn't do it with him! And I already said sorry. Jeez... lighten up," Bra whined in frustration.

"Okay... okay..." Pan capitulated and Bra grinned. She knew Pan couldn't stay mad at her for long, specially since she had apologized, thing she didn't do often. "We've both done our share of crazy things after mixing drinks... Well, I know I have," she continued. "But if you didn't do _it._.. what happened then?"

"Well... Goten and I were dancing and laughing, then we saw how much fun you guys were having being all buzzed, so we started mixing drinks and after a while we got pretty drunk too. Then we began flirting..."

"Are you sure it wasn't _you_ who started flirting?" Pan asked suspiciously, giggling.

"Nope. Goten told me I was beautiful... I don't remember much more. Then we kissed and started making out right there at the table. I'm surprised you didn't see us. I stopped him and said it was time to leave. We flew here and continued kissing at the gate. Actually it was against the gate... he slammed me against it. I think I have a bruise on my shoulder."

Pan said, "Tsk, tsk." Bra could practically see her rolling her eyes and just giggled, glancing over her right shoulder. "Yup, I am pretty bruised," she confirmed.

"And then what happened?"

"Things began getting quite heated, but all of a sudden I remembered we were at my place... my father could have discovered us at any moment! Imagine that! Besides, coming in would have been a terrible idea. We were intoxicated, if we had come in, we would have certainly have made a humongous mistake."

"So you sent him off?" Pan asked, incredulous.

"Yes... I broke off the kiss and told him I better go inside. I think I thanked him for a nice evening and then just pressed my palm against the entrance and walked in. Then I collapsed into my bed without changing and drooled all over my pillow... Ewwww!"

"So let me get this straight. You guys kissed, then _you_ invited _him_ over, flew off, made out some more and then sent him home?"

"Yup," Bra replied miserably.

There was a pause and then finally Pan exclaimed, "Oh my God, I can't believe it! Goten kissed you! This is totally and completely insane. What the hell is going on? What are you going to do now?!"

"I don't know." She moaned as she got up from bed. "I'm so _embarrassed_! What am I supposed to tell him? That I've always had a crush on him; that I would love to kiss him some more? To please ask me to be his girlfriend? That the only reason I sent him away was because I was afraid my dad would detect his ki and kill him? And I didn't want to end up sleeping with him while we were both drunk. What if he doesn't even remember what happened? We were both very wasted."

" Come on Bra... First of all, I doubt he forgot. I don't think he was that drunk. And you've never been one to beat around the bush. He did kiss you. He's obviously attracted to you and all he needed was an extra push. Don't tell him about your life-long crush, but do let on that you liked it and would like to do it some more," she suggested slyly.

Bra threaded her fingers through her tousled hair and stared at herself in the mirror. She looked like a total mess. Shaking her head she said, "And what if he says he just sees me as his best friend's little sister? That he was wasted? That it was just a kiss anyway and it would be best it we just forgot it?" A hysterical tone of voice was started to taint her voice. Bra was panicking now that she was more awake.

"Well, being hit by the F word would be awful... just friends. Maybe you'll have to run that risk. It's your call," Pan said sympathetically.

"Well, I'll have to think about it. I don't know what to do. Besides, I don't know how my brother would react. And oh my God, imagine if my dad found out!" Bra squeaked in fear.

Pan laughed but then sobered up, thinking about how serious the situation would be. "Yes, I see your point."

"What a mess! What should I do?" Bra inquired.

"I would suggest you get ready as quick as you can and come pick me up. We got a test today, remember?"

"Oh MAN!" Bra groaned. "Okay. I'll be there in twenty minutes. Wait... my car... I guess I'll have to borrow a capsule car from my mom. What a mess!" she complained again.

"Yeah, yeah. Poor you. You got to kiss your crush," Pan teased.

"Well, that I did. And he is the best kisser ever!" Bra exclaimed excitedly.

Pan groaned in disgust, "Ewww. I don't want to know how well my uncle kisses. Now hurry up."

"Ok. _Ja ne_."

"_Ja ne_."

Bra hung up and dashed to the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later she was dressed and ready to go. She didn't have time to apply any makeup so she would have to make do for the day. Thank the gods she had beautiful skin! She went to her parent's room, praying neither would decide to enter it while she was there and went through her mom's capsules. She found a small Mercedes and pocketed it. Running outside, she threw it and then quickly opened the door of the shiny silver car. _Damn, my mom has good taste_, she thought.

"Brat," a gravely voice called out behind her. Silently groaning, she turned around to face her _tou-san_.

"Hey daddy!" she told him brightly, hoping her cheery attitude would cause him to just walk away.

"Girl, isn't that one of your mother's vehicles?" he questioned, a brow rising. He was dressed in his favorite black spandex shorts, chest bare, a towel swung over his shoulder, obviously heading to the Gravity Room. Once, after one of her friends couldn't quit ogling her dad in that outfit that left absolutely _nothing_ to the imagination, she tried giving him more appropriate workout clothes; a t-shirt and sweatpants. He'd fingered the fabric, snorted and said it would impair his movements.

Her friend had gone back to happily ogling her dad. Disgusted, Bra had decided to never invite her over again.

"Yes _Tou-san_," Bra replied, smiling at him widely and edging closer to the car.

"Did you ask permission to take it?" he demanded, his perpetual frown deepening.

Bra wanted so bad to lie to get out of this but she knew that he would immediately find out. Her dad was freaky like that. She'd never, ever been able to get away with lying to him, so she didn't even try.

"Please daddy! I really need it right now, I'll return it today and she won't even know. Pleeeeaasseee!" she upped the cutesy factor, knowing it was very hard for her dad to deny her anything.

"Fine," he growled after a couple of seconds of dark scowling that didn't scare her in the least. "But if you go down, I'm not lifting a finger. You better not get caught of I'll have to endure your mother's complaints and you know how much I hate that."

"Yes, Dad. I'll be careful," she assured him.

"By the way, whatever mess you're in right now better not interfere with your training session today and don't think I'm going to go easy on you just because you're distracted," he threatened.

Bra sighed and nodded. For reasons unknown to her, _Tou-san_ hadn't bothered to train her during her early years. He had had suddenly decided when she'd turned eleven, after a few incidents with her lack of control of her ki, that she needed to know the basics. Like sensing ki, using her ki, meditation, katas and simple physical and ki attacks. Ever since, they'd trained at least weekly and to be truthful, it was a pain in her gorgeous _ass_. He never seemed satisfied and was always pushing her for more. She supposed she should be grateful; it was his way of giving her attention. It was hard to show appreciation when someone was kicking your ass, though.

Finally her father just snorted and turned around, dismissing her. She sighed in relief and took off to Pan's place.

"That was quick," Pan quipped as she opened the passenger's seat.

"Don't you dare tease me or I'll leave you to get your own ride," Bra growled.

Pan just giggled and got comfortable, muttering some equations for the test.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

It was 1:30 in the afternoon and Bra's classes were finally over. After several aspirins and lots of coffee, her headache was almost gone, but she still felt under the weather. She felt untidy and naked without any makeup or jewelry. In the mad dash that morning, she had forgotten all of it.

"Finally, time to go home," Pan practically screamed out in glee. "Do you think we passed that test?"

"Probably. We did study for it. We were just feeling hung over. I'm sure we'll pass," Bra assured her friend.

"So what are you going to do today?"

"Monday afternoon? Are you kidding me? Absolutely nothing. I'm going straight to bed, after last night, I really need some sleep…"

Bra turned to smile at her friend and then froze. Her eyes wide, her face paling.

"What's wrong Bra?" Pan asked, as she turned around to see what Bra was looking at with such horror and she also froze.

"Hey Bra, hey Pan... How you doing?" Goten asked, flashing them a smile.

Bra opened and closed her mouth, then blushed and peered down at the tip of her dark blue sandals. Pan came to the rescue, smiling at her uncle. "We're doing just fine. What about you? You look well enough after last night's drinking binge..."

"Well... hehehehehe," he chortled, his right hand going behind his head to scratch his neck, smiling widely.

"Oh my God, Goten. You do that exactly like Grandpa. Don't freak me out, okay?" Pan complained.

Goten dropped his arm and grinned. "Sorry about that."

Bra was still speechless and Pan glanced at her, and then elbowed her in the ribs.

"Ufff..."

"Are you okay, Bra?" Goten asked, concerned.

"Yes, of course I am. Just a bit surprised to see you here."

"Well, I was in the neighborhood and decided to drop by," Goten joked, grinning at her.

"Hey my friend, Ben is waiting for me at the other side of campus. I should get going right now. See ya later!"

Bra nodded stiffly, and morosely watched as her friend walked away. She knew Pan did it with good intentions, but she didn't know if she should be glad or mad she had left her alone with Goten using a fake excuse.

"So..." Goten uttered.

"So..." Bra replied. She could not believe how awkward this was. How could she be this nervous around a guy? It was just Goten. But then again, it _was_ Goten, her brother's best friend, her best friend's uncle whom she had kissed last night. She had to get away before she said something stupid, not that that hadn't happened already.

"Listen Goten... I think I should--"

"Bra, would you like to get a coffee or something?" Goten interrupted, raising his eyebrows and smiling at her.

_That smile._.. She was hard pressed not to blush and melt on the spot.

"Sure, why not?" she replied._ Coffee wouldn't do any harm, right?_ _Besides, when have I been able to say no to that smile? _ "What the heck. I've had several cups of coffee already but I could use another one."

"Okay, so let's go. I've heard the coffee at the hub is not bad."

"Sure, just follow me," Bra told him. They walked quietly side by side, not even glancing at each other.

When they finally got to the hub, he opened the door for her, and she was touched by his chivalry.

They sat down on one of the tables and ordered coffee, still not speaking at each other.

Sipping her cappuccino, she peeked at Goten through lowered lashes, seemingly extremely concentrated on her coffee. What should she do? Should she say anything to break the silence?

"Bra, I had a great time last night. I really did," Goten began, smiling at her brightly.

At that exact moment, Bra thought she knew precisely what he was going to say. Something like, "But... I want us just to be friends. That kiss was really nice, don't get me wrong, and you're an amazing girl, but I don't want to ruin our friendship."

She would not be able to stand it if he threw the "F" word at her. It was the most dreaded word for any man or woman that was in love, and was not reciprocated.

So she would not let him say it. She would not let it happen to her.

"Yeah, it was really fun," Bra cut in, also smiling. "Although I really can't remember what happened after we started mixing drinks. I am sure it was really fun, though. We should do it again sometime, don't you think, because it was really fun." _Oh my God, how many times am I going to repeat the words really fun? _

Goten just stared at her, a strange expression on his face. He was probably relieved she didn't remember the kiss. Or was he disappointed? No way, her imagination was just teasing her mercilessly.

"I swear, I don't remember anything. I hope I didn't embarrass myself or anything. I didn't do anything stupid, did I?" she asked. Leaning back and sipping some more coffee, she was trying to act nonchalant when that was the last thing she felt. Her knees felt week, her hands were cold as ice.

"Erm... of course not, Bra. We just flew to your place. That was the only stupid thing we both did. Why, did _I_ do anything stupid?" he asked, leaning forward and looking at her intently as if her answer were the most important thing in the whole world.

She gulped and prayed to Dende for strength. "Not that I can remember. Besides, I am sure you acted like a total gentleman. After all, you're one of my _best friends_."

Bra thought she saw Goten wince. Was it because _she_ had thrown the F word at _him_? Or was it just wishful thinking yet again?

"Bra-chan, I just wanted to be sure you were okay. I should be going. I gotta be somewhere else right now."

Bra gazed at him quizzically. That sounded like a lame and abrupt excuse. She let it slide -how could she not, when she had already lied to him?- and replied, "Sure, Goten. See ya later."

He then leaned forward and kissed her chastely on her forehead.

"Take care of yourself sweetie."

"You too," she replied, suddenly hard pressed to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.

As she watched him walk away, Bra was not sure if that had been the most idiotic thing she had ever done, or the smartest.

To be continued...

Japanese words used in this chapter:

moshi, moshi: hello over the phone  
ja ne: see ya  
tou-san: father  
kaa-san: mother  
dende: Earth's current god or deity

_Author's notes: Don't forget to review if you liked this chapie. Remember, the only way I can improve this fic or my writing is with your helpful suggestions. Let me know if you want to know when this fic will be updated in your review and leave your email address._


	5. Liar, liar Pants on Fire

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 5: Liar, liar. Pants on Fire. **

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading! _

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

Goten was mad as hell. He was furious. He had been seething in anger for a whole week, and the elapsing of days hadn't abated his resentment.

_How dare she lie to me? How dare she? _he thought, as he kept mercilessly hitting the punching bag in the gym where he worked. _She lied straight to my face, all composed and sipping on her coffee while I just sat there, dumbly staring at her, not even knowing why I had set to talk to her anyway_, he kept muttering to himself.

"Goten, you've a customer," an extremely irritated voice practically screamed at him. Goten whirled around, ready to confront the annoying source of that voice until he focused on his boss, Sean.

"I'll be right there, boss," he muttered, head lowered. He was sure his look could have singed his boss, and then he would have to search for another job.

Fortunately, it was already 6 o'clock and his shift was just about finished. He didn't even know why Sean had asked him to tend to that customer anyway. Well, actually, he did know the reason. He had been insufferable at work that whole week. Everyone kept asking him what was wrong; they were used to his usual cheerful disposition and were all worried about what had him wound up so tight.

He turned around to greet the customer and smiled broadly.

"Hey old buddy. Decided to escape the office for a bit. I wanted to visit the place that has held you prisoner for a whole week."

Goten smiled in spite of himself, and grinned at Trunks. He appeared extremely out of place in the gym wearing that fancy suite, and he told him so.

"I know..." Trunks sighed. "I look out of place almost anywhere in this monkey suite, but mom was on to me this morning and screamed so loud my secretary actually opened the door to see what was going on. I didn't even have to go home to change once I agreed just to appease her. She had already gotten this suit for me."

Goten laughed and shook his head. "Well, that's the price you have to pay for being so filthy rich. I don't see you complaining about your flashy Ferrari out there," he teased his friend.

"I would rather be working here," Trunks stated. Goten shook his head and smiled. Sure, it was a really nice and big gym. Really classy, and set in an upper-crust neighborhood. It had all the facilities: sauna, Jacuzzi, personal trainers, the works. Goten himself was a personal trainer. It was a nice place to work at, for someone like him… but it was no place for a rich spoiled guy like Trunks. In any case, he wasn't planning on working here much longer. He had bigger plans.

"Anyway," he changed the subject, knowing his friend really hated working at the office in C.C., and was probably half-serious about preferring working at a gym. "Gimme ten minutes. I'm need to shower and change."

"Sure. No problem."

Goten signaled to Sean that his shift was over and slipped into the shower-room. While the scalding-hot water streamed over him, the good mood that Trunks' visit had generated disappeared, and the anger returned. He couldn't remember the last time he's been angry for longer than half an hour.

If someone had asked him point black why exactly was he so mad, he would have been able to give that someone a dozen reasons. He felt like a idiot for having been so worried about Bra's state of mind after that night at the club. She had been composed and unfazed, as if passionate kisses and a bit of groping between childhood friends was an everyday event for her. He hated liars, especially those that lied at him. He particularly hated liars who were as extremely convincing as Bra. There were very few things in life that made Goten angry and being lied to like that was one of them.

If he dug in even a bit deeper, he could also say his ego was bruised. Kissing him shouldn't be taken so lightly. He never had had any problems getting girls to notice him and it kept getting better and easier as he got a bit older. He was usually very mellow and cheerful and women liked that. A lot. That is why, he rarely took no for an answer from women. Usually, he didn't even have to work that hard and when he did pursue a woman, he almost always succeeded. Really, lately it had become a bit too easy.

However, he had practically ran away from Bra that morning. That itself was another sore spot. He had simply stammered and said goodbye after her lie, probably looking like a total idiot. Why hadn't he confronted her? Sure, it wasn't in his nature to do such a thing. He usually disliked disagreements, often bending over backwards to avoid them. But he didn't shy away from them when they did arise like he did Monday afternoon at Satan College.

Anger poured through him yet again, just as hot as the water he was bathing with.

If someone asked him why he had _remained_ mad for so long and why the intensity of that anger was so strong, he wouldn't be able to give them a definite answer. He really didn't want to think about it too much, it was probably a dangerous thing to do. He didn't want to recollect how she had hit him with the "friend" word.

Goodness... it had been ages since a woman had told him they were "just friends". It was sickening.

He should be relieved, though. He should be happy, hopping around in jubilation that Bra wasn't holding his behavior against him; that she still wanted to remain his friend; that she had left him completely off the hook.

Somehow, though, being left off the hook like that didn't settle. It didn't settle at all. Not with her.

He had tried everything to rid his mind of the anger and to avoid the memories of those kisses. How perfect they had felt. He had dragged his brother outside to spar and had gotten beaten up. He had worked double shifts, had gone out in a couple of extremely unsuccessful dates. He had actually opened his little black book and called a couple of girls he only used for emergency last minute dates.

But nothing had worked. And when Trunks had called him Wednesday night to invite him over to hang out, he had told him he was busy. When was the last time he had declined an invitation from his best friend without a good reason? He couldn't remember. It had probably never happened. But the thought of running into Bra so soon afterwards made him decline Trunks' invitations three times. And now Trunks was here, probably bored out of his mind and wanting to hang out again.

He would have to go over to Trunks' mansion eventually. He was going to bump into Bra inevitably. He couldn't avoid her forever, as much as he wanted to.

Sighing, Goten took some deep breaths as he put his clothes on. He would go to Capsule Corp. He would behave and not make eye contact with Bra and he would try not to alert Trunks that something was amiss. Trunks Briefs could be very dense, though. Goten had given him extremely lame excuses to bail out and he hadn't caught on. He still thought it was work that kept him busy. He didn't want to push it, however.

Smiling to himself a bit, Goten walked over to Trunks, who was ogling his extremely attractive and scantly dressed coworker, while pretending to read a fitness magazine.

"I see you've met Kira already. Hot, huh?" he whispered from behind.

Trunks whirled around and smirked. "Oh yes. Very hot. Too bad I'm not single anymore," he signed.

Goten laughed and said, "Don't try to pretend you regret not being single. You are totally into Tram, aren't you?"

Trunks smiled brightly and nodded, and managed to act like a love-crazed teenager. It seemed Tram was really getting to him and Goten was glad. He teased Trunks about it and laughed again when he saw his friend smirk.

"Well, I'm ready to go," he announced after a while of teasing.

"Good. Actually, I need to get back to the office soon. End of the month, you know. I came over to invite you to Tram's sister's wedding. They're throwing her this really, really, really nice party at the Chang Tang Hotel clubhouse. A couple canceled on them sort of last minute and they need two people. Tram told me I could invite them so I decided to invite Bra and you. Sound cool?"

Goten just stared at Trunks for a dozen seconds, trying to register his words in his mind. _Bra and I? A formal party? Nani? Me and Bra? _

Trunks stared back, a puzzled expression on his face. "Well? What, you're not going to bail out on me again, are you? You told me you didn't have any plans this weekend."

Goten shook his head to clear his mind and nodded. "Yes, of course I'll go. I just spaced out for a moment." He then flashed his trademark grin, hoping to distract Trunks from asking any more questions.

"Okay then. Come over so we can go in the limo together this Saturday at 7 P.M., okay?"

Trunks turned around and began walking out. He had that annoying habit of just giving you his back whenever he felt the conversation was over. Probably picked it up from his dad. Goten rolled his eyes.

"_Matte_!" Goten called out. Trunks stopped at the entrance. "You already told Bra, right?"

"No, I haven't told her, actually. Hey, maybe you could tell her…Say Lucy's getting married this weekend. She's met Lucy."

A big smile spread across Goten's face as he replied, "Sure, I'll go over to your place right now." If Trunks had been playing closer attention, he would have realized how strangely dangerous that smile was. But Trunks had been ogling the sexy trainer again and by the time he had turned to his best friend to say farewell, the smile had stabilized to his usual happy-go-lucky one.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

A little while later, Goten parked his two-year old blue Mazda right in front of C.C. Still smirking, he got off and strutted to the front entrance and was let in immediately. He followed Bra's ki and found her sitting in the kitchen, her back straight. A couple of textbooks and notebooks were spread over the kitchen table.

"Hi Bra."

"Hi Goten."

He could almost taste the tension in the room. Good. So she wasn't so composed this afternoon, was she?

"Whatchadoing there?" he asked her, sitting across from her, leaning over and watching her fixedly.

"I was studying for a test tomorrow. Tough teacher..." she trailed off as she noticed Goten wasn't really listening to her, but staring intently at her face.

"Goten, Trunks is not here," she told him and he almost laughed. _Good, let her squirm a little. _

"I know that. He came over to the gym just twenty minutes ago."

"Okay..." she said. He just sat there, waiting for her to ask him what wanted, grinning a bit dangerously.

"Okay, so how can I help you? I'm kind of busy," she finally stated, pointedly gesturing to the books and notebooks.

"Yes, I can see that. Well, I came to see _you_."

"_Me_? " she almost squeaked. So, she had been affected by all this. More than Goten had thought, actually. He had never seen her so nervous. She was licking her lips, tucking her hair behind her left ear. She always acted so perfect around guys. _Not anymore, though_, he thought gleefully.

"Yes, you, my _friend_."

He saw her wince. Bra actually winced. Pressing further he continued, "Trunks told me that Lucy is getting married. Lucy, Tram's sister. We're invited and he told me to be here to go together in the limo Saturday night at seven

Bra's jaw slacked and she stared at him for a while. He was really enjoying her discomfiture.

"What? What's wrong? You don't want to go?" he taunted.

"Actually, no. I don't feel like dancing," she replied stiffly.

"But you love dancing. We danced quite a bit last week. Don't you _remember_?"

"_Hai_, I do remember. I do like dancing. I just don't feel like dancing this weekend."

"So you do remember dancing. But I thought you had forgotten all about that night." Goten had the pleasure of seeing her almost fidget.

"I forgot what happened after we got really buzzed, not what happened all night," she stated reasonably, ice coated fire.

"Sure you did. That's why you're so nervous."

Bra almost knocked over the table as she stood up abruptly. He knew she was pissed. But so was he. _So what if she suffered a bit? It served her right for being such a big fat liar. _

"Look Goten. I don't know what's wrong with you, but you're acting weird as _hell_. I need to continue studying, so you can wait for Trunks in his wing or something."

More composed after her little outburst, she sat back down and fixed her eyes on an open notebook.

Goten knew he was acting 'weird as hell', out of character, almost out of control. He was usually so carefree, so relaxed like Trunks and his mom always complained he never took anything seriously. He snorted, thinking that Trunks was one to talk. But just like he was capable of finding his temper in battle, it seemed he was losing it with Bra. He didn't _care_ and he wasn't going to stop to analyze why he was acting so strange.

"I don't think we're through yet. See, I already forgot what you just said," he almost sneered as he stood up and towered over her.

Bra's eyes widened and she darted sideways, sending him a nervous look. Goten, what the hell is _wrong_ with you? I don't know what bee went up your butt, but I suggest you don't take it out on me."

"I don't care for your suggestions because _you're_ the bee that went up my butt, Bra."

She just stared at him. Then she stood up and faced him belligerently.

"So what do you want? What do you want me to do or say so you can leave me alone and stop acting so creepy, huh?" Bra said between her teeth as she gritted them.

"Oh, I just want you to admit you didn't forget what happened after we got 'really buzzed'," sarcasm practically oozed from his tone.

Bra sent him a shocked expression before swallowing visibly. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she lied straight to his face.

Goten could almost feel the smoke coming out of his ears and then physically felt his control snap, like a rubber band that was stretched too far.

"Oh no, you don't. You won't lie to me again. You can't remember, huh? Well, maybe I'll _make_ you remember," he said, and before she had a chance of making sense of his words and meaning, he had taken her face between his hands and had brought his lips down to hers firmly enough to part them immediately.

Bra struggled against him, but that didn't even register as his hands glided down to her arms and settled on her waist. He outlined her straight teeth with his tongue and Bra's struggles became weaker. She stopped pushing against his chest and settled her arms on his shoulders.

With a sigh of defeat and hunger, Bra opened her mouth slightly, and Goten took advantage of that immediately, using his teeth and tongue to intensify the kiss. Bra's hands tangled in his hair and he tightened his arms around her waist as the kiss continued burning, both hungry for each other's taste. She gasped and tangled her hands in his hair and Goten explored her wet, delicious mouth even further. Then she moaned as he directed his mouth to the sensitive area behind her ear and licked.

Regaining his senses Goten pulled back. He hadn't meant to kiss her. Well, maybe he had, but he was sure it hadn't been a good idea. Gazing down at Bra's limpid eyes and dewy lips, he smiled, changing his mind. It had been a great idea, even if he had to take a leap right into a hell-hole five seconds later.

Bra gazed up at him and all of a sudden, her eyes fired up and she pushed him away.

"_Yamero_! Never do that ever again!" she shouted. "Just because we kissed that night, it doesn't mean you have a season pass to my mouth!" she yelled.

Goten smiled at her very widely, flashing his trademark grin, no longer angry at all. "So, now you remember? And what was it that you asked me to do? To never kiss you again? But why, if you enjoyed it so much?"

"I did not!" she exclaimed, scooting away from him. Her face was beet red. "Can you be any more insufferable and arrogant? What, you think every woman has to fall at your feet and melt into a puddle?"

"So much pride," Goten murmured as he advanced on her, intent on a repeat session when they both hear the door open.

"What is Kakarot's spawn doing in my kitchen?" Vegita asked, his arms crossed, his expression annoyed as he stood at the entrance.

"I was looking for Trunks," Goten said, grinning vacuously and doing the hand behind his head thing that he knew annoyed Vegita to no end.

The older Saiya-jin snapped, "Well, he isn't here. Don't you have eyes or can't you sense ki anymore?"

Bra didn't even move a muscle, just kept staring until he smiled and turned around. "I guess I'll go search for him at C.C.," he told them as he walked out the door. Bra's dad moved away as he got closer, scowling. Nothing unusual there.

He was extremely grateful that Vegita hadn't shown up thirty seconds earlier, or he would wouldn't be walking and breathing right now. As it was, he was afraid that he had sense what was going on. He was just grateful, period.

Something was certain, though. This was not the end of this business with Bra. Not by far, he thought as he licked his lips and noticed they tasted like cherry and grinned.

To be Continued...

Japanese words used in this chapter:

nani: what  
matte: wait  
hai: yes  
yamero: stop

_Author's notes: __I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	6. Losing Control

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 6: Losing Control **

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

"And then he had the audacity to try kissing me again!" Bra exclaimed furiously. "Lucky for him, my dad barged in demanding why 'Kakarot's' spawn was in _his_ kitchen, as if that was a strange occurrence. I swear, he and my brother are joined at the hip. Anyhow, fortunately for him, my dad barged in, or I would've... I would've..."

Marron smirked, looking very like her mom. "You would have done him bodily harm for his impertinence?" she delivered in a deadpan.

"_Hai, exactly_!" Bra cried out, crossing her arms.

"It sounds to me like you would have let him continue his impertinence," Marron laughingly concluded, raising a perfectly shaped blond eyebrow.

Bra sniffed and battered the words away with a swipe of beautifully manicured hands. "Of course not! He kissed me without my consent."

Marron smiled at that. "I have never seen you do something you weren't willing to do anyways and I doubt Goten has ever had to force himself on a woman, even one who is almost his little sister," her friend said, appearing way too smart aleck for Bra's taste. Bra decided to ignore the quip and simply crossed her arms, wishing she'd worn a sweater. A cold early autumn breeze was sweeping across the college campus. It was midday, but it was as sunless and cold as early morning in the parking lot of Satan College.

"As I was telling you, my dad came in, so Goten left... _nani_?" Bra trailed off. Marron had stopped looking at her and was now staring over her shoulder with an expression that carried equal amounts of amusement, alarm and anticipation.

"What?" Bra asked again, feeling annoyed. She glanced back and almost groaned and gasped at the same time. It was Goten, purposely walking towards them, a huge Son grin on his face. Bra was barely able to hide her reaction before she faced Marron's vastly amused face.

"I can't believe he is here. Do I have to start hiding my ki now? Let's go, come on. Let's drive away before he reaches us," Bra began with a hiss, then ended up almost pleading. She was already moving closer towards her car. Marron just stood there and laughed. "What will Goten think if you run away like that? Smile... Here he comes..."

"Isn't it a beautiful Wednesday afternoon?" Goten announced in inane greeting. Marron rolled her eyes and didn't reply. Bra crossed her arms, unconsciously mimicking her father's favorite posture.

"Goten, we were just leaving. See you around," Bra announced in a polite, neutral tone -that contradicted her impolite manner of greeting turned farewell- and turned around already digging in her purse for her car keys.

"Surely you can spare me five minutes. Marron, you can wait five minutes while I chat with Bra, can't you?" Goten asked as he got a hold of Bra's elbow and gently but firmly pulled her away from her car.

"Sure I can wait," Marron told him smiling and leaning against her red Honda civic. She did seem a bit startled at Goten's behavior, though. Her eyes had gotten a bit rounder than usual.

Bra was absolutely seething with rage as she followed Goten a couple of feet away from Marron and their cars. She managed to hide it, though; acting like this was just making her appear foolish. When he stopped to face her, she composed her face into a calm, easy, friendly smile.

"Yes Goten? You had something important to tell me or you just wanted to chat?" she said sweetly but with an edge of steel.

His eyes lighted up at her polite question and he was gazing her over approvingly. All of a sudden she was extremely self-conscious of the shortness of her denim skirt and the tightness of her blouse across her chest. The way he was staring at her was making her more self-conscious than all the leering stares and glances guys had ever cast her. She was so used to them, she usually ignored them.

Almost squirming under his gaze, Bra began getting impatient. "Well?" she asked, and his eyes snapped back to hers and she gazed into their dark depths.

"I actually just came by to look at you," he confessed softly. He lifted a hand to her hair and wound his fingers in the blue-lavender strands. "I've always loved your hair. Even when you were a little baby, you had so much of it."

Bra had closed her eyes the second he had touched her hair, but his comment about remembering her as a baby made her snap her eyes open and slap his hand away. She then sent her strategy of keeping him at bay with cold politeness to the seventh fire in hell.

"_Yamero_ Goten! You're almost thirteen years older than me," Bra scolded him, trying to quell her excitement.

"So? That didn't seem to be a problem Sunday at the club or a couple of days ago at your house," he delivered with a slightly smug and cheerful smile.

"We shouldn't have kissed… either at the bar or yesterday," Bra replied firmly.

"But I liked it," Goten said, his eyes amused.

God, he was honest, wasn't he? Bra was _this_ close to telling she'd liked it too. A LOT. But she controlled herself. After all, she had her pride. She wasn't about to throw herself at his feet when he was obviously taking this as a joke.

She refused to rise to the bait and merely said, "Well, we can't do it anymore."

His face got a cute confused expression and he blinked. "Why?"

Bra chuckled despite herself. "For one, what will everyone think?"

Goten just frowned. "Do you really care?" he finally asked.

Turning her head away, Bra was sorely tempted to say no. But she couldn't, wouldn't.

"_Hai_," she lied. "You're practically family, and besides, I am not attracted to you."

Bra held her breath, half of her being hoping he would believe her lie, the other half wishing he would see through it. She realized she had laid it too thick, but she couldn't take her words back now.

Goten grinned so Bra guessed he'd seen through it. "Good, I am not attracted to you either," he told her.

Bra waited in breathless anticipation as his face neared hers. Then he drew away and said, "Marron is staring at us. We'll continue this later. I'll call you tonight."

She was about to voice out an objection to both continuing this and his promise of calling when he simply turned away, waved at Marron and walked towards his car. He drove away, leaving her just standing there, befuddled at them both.

What was wrong with her? Since when did she let someone fluster her and manipulate her like that? For that matter, what was wrong with him? When had he ever promised he would call a girl? He either did it or not, but he never _promised_. He was not in the habit of dragging unwilling women around to talk to them. Seriously, what was _wrong_ with him?

Bra turned around, dreading Marron's reaction to their little exchange and feeling extremely silly at the unusual way she was acting.

When she faced Marron, she had an astonished expression on her face and simply said, "This should get interesting. Pan was right when she told me I had missed the juiciest gossip ever while I was sick. I thought she was exaggerating. I think she downplayed it."

Bra smiled weakly and then even laughed. "I guess you're right."

"I have to congratulate you on your self-control. If I had had a crush on a guy for years and if he suddenly noticed me, I wouldn't be able to resist him."

Bra sighed and shook her head. "I wasn't doing too good of a job resisting him. In any case, he is not noticing me all of a sudden. After my behavior at the club, I guess he is getting his kicks out of flustering me and trying to seduce me," she declared angrily.

"After the behavior of both of you. He was the one who kissed you at the club," Marron informed her.

"Yes, but I had been flirting with him all night long."

"So? He flirted too."

Bra sighed and crossed her arms again. "What are you suggesting? That he's not just taking advantage of an amusing situation? That he is genuinely interested in me? Maybe… maybe he thinks I'm a slut, just like everyone else."

"That's ridiculous," Marron snapped. "I am suggesting you be open to that possibility that he is interested. He is acting very, very, very strange. Something is up." Deciding to leave it at that, Marron smiled and gestured towards their cars. "Right now, I suggest we go eat. I have to be back at work in 45 minutes."

"Oh, you're right. Let's go right way. How is it going with that case? Is it getting any better?" Bra had also decided to drop it. She had lots to think about.

"Sometimes I hate being a lawyer," affirmed Marron sulkily.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Goten whistled to himself as he contemplated what he was about to do. She would be annoyed, furious, but would probably try to control her fiery temper trying to freeze him out with her prissy private school manners. It wasn't going to work. She snapped fairly easily.

He hadn't called her the day before as he had promised. He'd wanted to keep her on her toes; wondering if he would, wishing he wouldn't, hoping he would.

Goten waited until he felt her ki drop to normal levels. She was probably sweaty, disheveled and as frustrated and mad as she always was after she trained with her dad.

Perfect.

He also waited until Vegita left the compound. He always left to continue his training with "Kakarot", muttering about his weak fashion-loving daughter. Goten certainly didn't have a death wish, so he wasn't going to risk his life by popping up in front of a charged-up Vegeta.

Goten had sneaked into the mansion. It was easy enough if you had been visiting it all your life. He had then made his way to the pool, which he knew Bra used quite often. He hoped this would be one of those days.

A part of his reasoning mind realized he was being pretty much a stalker, something he had never done in his life but he wasn't troubling himself with that at the moment. It felt almost like a hunt… his primal Saiya-jin urges were rising to the surface as he tried to push them down.

After a few minutes of waiting around, he finally saw her walking into the pool lounge through the main entrance. He hid behind a lush palm tree while he waited for her to come closer. He knew Bra wouldn't expect anyone to be home. Bulma and Trunks were both working. There were several robots around but they saw him almost as much as they saw the family so they hadn't blinked twice when they saw him walking towards the pool earlier. Not that robots blinked.

She almost collided against his chest.

He had expected shouting, maybe icy politeness, but the dark blush that crept up her face disconcerted him as much as it did her. Her eyes widened, her hands automatically went up to her hair to straighten it up.

"Trunks is at the office compound. He had lunch and left like ten minutes ago," Bra finally managed to let out in a rush of rapid fired words. So unexpected was her reaction to his presence that he just stood there and nodded and let her slip away to the locker room. He would be amused later, he thought. She had never appeared as sexy, blushing like that, sweaty and wearing skimpy spandex shorts and a top that was more like a sports bra.

Almost cursing himself, he decided to wait for her at the pool, where he knew she would show up in a tiny bikini to swim laps. The thought made him grin and almost pant in anticipation as he sat in one of the lounge chairs and waited for her to emerge.

He was sure she was cursing him to high heaven while she took her shower. That made him grin too. He was also certain she would debate even showing up at the pool, but he was positive she wouldn't run away.

His private grin turned into a full-fledged one when she did emerge in a tiny red bikini, not even bothering with a wrap or a robe. She almost brushed against him as she walked towards the pool. His system went haywire. For goodness sakes, she was gorgeous. His earlier thought about her looking her sexiest in training clothes was altered. He preferred her in that bikini.

Guilt and lust warred in his mind and body, a powerful combination. She was almost family and ever since he'd actually noticed she'd grown into a beautiful woman -_When had that been? Her sweet sixteenth birthday, perhaps? _- he'd tried not to get too close to her, to ignore the naughty looks she would toss him once in a while. He tried very, very hard not to think of her as a sexy woman. But after that kiss at the gate of her parents' house -_Her PARENT'S house! Have I gone insane! And here I am, lusting after her in her parent's house again_!- he hadn't been able to stop thinking of her that way. As a beautiful, smart, sexy, funny, charming, misunderstood, even if slightly temperamental -_Well, very temperamental_-, a bit snobby -_Perhaps more than a bit_-, very complicated woman. Try as he might, he couldn't go back to thinking of her as his little sister. Actually, if he was honest with himself, it had been quite a while since he'd really thought of her that way.

She swam her laps; surely aware he was staring at her like a randy teenager, taking in every movement of her supple limbs.

When she emerged from the pool, she wrung the water off her hair and reached for a towel that was lying on the chair next to his. His hand shot out and grabbed her arm. Bra almost yelped, startled, even though she should have expected that move. Goten knew he was playing with fire, but he was having so much fun. He knew she could handle him.

But when he tugged her forward and she landed half on his lap, his confidence began to fade when she met his smoldering eyes.

"Let me up," she tried to demand. Instead it came out in an undignified squeak.

"Not a chance," he replied, cupping the back of her neck and brushing his lips with hers.

He could tell Bra had the firm intention of pulling away and standing up, but when his fingers tangled in her hair, and his mouth became more insistent, both immediately forgot where they were and why this was a bad idea. She smelled like Clorox and soap. Her hair was wet, her mouth hot, her lips soft. She was yielding to him, and it was driving him absolutely crazy. He wanted to keep it casual, flirty... but when she opened her mouth after he merely suggested it with his tongue, he was lost. They kissed endlessly, mouths scorching, hands gliding, fingers gripping. They became lost in each other.

He left her mouth after a while and decided to taste the pulse at her neck. He was claiming his prize after a successful hunt.

"Goten," Bra almost moaned.

"Bra," he replied, taking her lips again, more desperate now. His hands grabbed her legs positioning them so they would wrap them around his hips, straddling him. She complied, already holding on to him.

His control snapped, and his hands tightened on her back, wandering to the sides of her thighs, going back up to her back, and then finding their way to her breasts.

It was Bra who finally pulled away, before he could begin untying the strands of her bikini top.

"I should go," she croaked, already getting off his lap. Almost sprinting away, she disappearing into the house.

"_Oh kuso_," he hissed. He ran his hands over his face and took a deep breath. "_Kuso, kuso, kuso_," he repeated. It was minutes later when he finally stood up and flew away.

To be Continued...

Japanese words used in this chapter:

hai: yes  
nani: what  
yamero: stop  
kuso: crap (or worse), expletive

_Author's notes: __I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	7. Dangerous Games

**Just a Kiss  
by: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 7: Dangerous Games**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

The lipstick Bra was applying on her lips was her favorite shade. She had bought a dress that was the exact same color of her eyes. It had been hard to find the precise equivalent shade of cerulean blue, but the hunt had been worth it. The garment clung to her every curve, showed a bit of cleavage. The dress was very sexy, in her expert opinion. It left one of her shoulders bare, so she decided to apply some shimmer powder on her exposed skin.

She would have liked for Pan to be here for moral support, but she wasn't invited to the party and she was out on a date with Ben. Sighing, Bra examined herself again and decided she was ready. The sigh was startled out of her when she heard the doorbell ring.

Gritting her teeth, Bra decided to make him wait. She was furious with him and herself. The nerve of him, walking into her house and following her to the pool. He was being so persistent, acting so sure of himself and she didn't understand why he was behaving like that. In any case, his ego was about to suffer a blow, because she was going to act like nothing happened. Because nothing really had, she assured herself.

Bra paced around the room, fairly growling. Finally, she decided it was silly to be hiding upstairs delaying the inevitable. She slipped into her gold-colored stilettos while she thought that she couldn't remember the last time she felt so nervous about seeing a man. She had the unexplainable urge to wring her hands. There had to be something wrong with her!

Taking one last glance at the mirror, she smiled at her reflection and decided it was okay for her to be nervous, because Goten was going to be bowled over. The last time he had seen her so done up was at her prom, and that had been two years ago. It had been a proper dress she had worn, nothing like this sexy little number. Sure, he'd seen pictures of her modeling gigs, but nothing beat the real thing. And he was getting the real thing tonight, alright.

Bra glided down the stairs and frowned when there was no one waiting for her at the bottom in the foyer to see her entrance. She walked into the living room and she still couldn't find anyone. Finally, she found her brother and her crush in the kitchen, eating, of course. _They make such a nice picture,_ she thought, smiling. Best friends, both tall and muscular. Dark features and tanned skin contrasting with blue eyes and a lighter skin tone.

Bra cleared her throat and both masculine faces turned to stare at her. Their opposite reactions were hilarious.

"You look fantastic," Goten breathed.

"Are you going dressed like that?" Trunks said, nervously.

Bra almost laughed, but that would have spoiled the effect.

"Thank you and yes, I am going dressed like this. Any further comments or questions you two?"

Goten grinned at her, Trunks frowned. Bra could understand Trunks' worry. For quite a while in her pre-pubescent years, she had decidedly favored outfits that were quite too sexy for her tender age. Her mother had unwisely, in Bra's opinion, let her choose her own clothes, and had never tried to curb her appalling taste.

Bra had once asked Bulma why she had let her wear such clothes. They had been looking at family pictures, and Bra winced as she saw a picture of her in her favorite ensemble. A red low cut candy stripe blouse, a matching red mini-skirt and a black choker. The outfit left her stomach bare.

Her mother had simply replied, "You seemed happy wearing them. I didn't want to repress your creative drive. If I had tried to force you to dress as I would have liked, maybe you wouldn't have liked fashion so much." That had been a testament to her mom's tolerance towards her. Bra understood that somewhat, but it didn't stop her from wincing and wishing her mother had been much firmer with her sometimes. She knew her mom wished she had turned out to be just like her, a genius. Not that she wasn't smart -she was smarter than people thought. Her inclinations, however, had never tilted towards the sciences and she would never be a whiz like her mother or a fighter like her father. She supposed she was doomed to disappoint both her parents.

Trunks interrupted her musings saying, "You're not going back to dressing like before, are you?"

For a couple of seconds, Bra was extremely tempted to lash at her brother. She held the impulse in check, though, remembering Goten was there. Not that she cared at all what he thought, but she would rather not have a sibling quarrel to chip at her defenses. And she needed those defenses, as Goten appeared far too handsome for her comfort all decked out in a tuxedo. He still looked dangerous; his rakish air couldn't be contained in formality. If anything, it enhanced it.

"This dress is a far cry from my dabbling into awful fashion, dear brother."

Trunks' demeanor immediately softened. "It's just that you look too... and there are going to be lots of men at the party and..." he trailed off lamely.

Bra smiled almost feline-like and made a point of not glancing at Goten. "Yes, I know. I am counting on it."

Goten glared at her and Bra felt immensely satisfied. Trunks was frowning too, but she just ignored her brother. Just as she was about to elaborate, she heard the intercom beeping.

"That must be the limousine," Trunks announced happily. Then he practically sprinted forward. Bra knew he loved riding in limos. Just as she began following him, Goten stopped her short by grabbing her forearm. Her whole body tingled from that point of contact and Bra could feel her heart beating too quickly, but she simply sent Goten a bland look and tried to pull away. She tugged but only succeeded in making him hold her closer.

His eyes were glinting, and she wondered how she controlled her body from responding to such sexy eyes. So deep, so dark and glittering, like a star encrusted midnight sky. Without realizing it, she had been staring at him unabashedly. His quick knowing grin brought her back to her senses.

"I have the best taste in women," he declared and daringly kissed her lips briefly behind her brother's back. Then he just left her there as he hurried to catch up with Trunks.

Bemused, Bra followed. That had not been what she had expected. She had expected some sort of comeback to her earlier comment. _How ungentlemanly of him_, she thought, _leaving me standing there like an idiot_. Just as the thought formed, Goten turned around to take her arm again, this time in a very polite manner. He helped her into the limo, closed the door and then sat down besides her.

Bra and her outfit were immediately ignored as both Trunks and Goten begun acting like they had never been in a limo before. They began playing around with all the buttons, opening and closing the windows, turning the music and A/C on and off. When Goten went to grab a bottle of very expensive Champagne to get the party started -Trunks had certainly gone all out this time- Trunks said they should wait until after picking up Tram.

They began wrestling with the bottle, and when it fell to the bottom of the leather seats, Bra rolled her eyes and got it before either of them could.

"Stop it or _I'll_ drink it all."

They acted very miffed at her taking away their temporary toy, but soon they forgot about it when they began fooling around with the candy bars in the mini bar. Boys will be boys, Bra decided as she rolled her eyes again.

Tram's entrance into the limo was grand. She looked spectacular in little black dress. It showed off her tan and contrasted with her wine red hair and big chocolate colored eyes. All three of them told her so. However, Bra found herself infuriated at seeing Goten's bright eyes gazing at Tram's shapely legs.

Goten glanced in her direction and winked at her. What a jerk, he had been testing her. Smiling brightly, she winked back, but she could tell he wasn't fooled. Annoyed at herself, she turned to Tram to converse with her, but she could feel those eyes on her all the time. Bra was relieved to get out of the limo, whose walls had seemingly been closing in on her. They arrived at the exclusive Chang-Tang Hotel where the reception was being held. Lucy and Mathew had eloped last month unexpectedly and now their parents had decided to throw them this party. Lucky them.

As she walked in besides Goten, she looked at all the eligible males in the room. That meant he had to be handsome, between 20 and 30 and at least 5'9". It didn't particularly matter if he were snooty or boring, since all she wanted was to put Goten in his place. She started smiling at several young men when she felt a pair of decided masculine hands on her almost bare shoulders.

"What an amazing coincidence," a masculine voice said as he turned her around and took her hand to kiss it. You cold always count on Giovanni to do something old fashioned like that. And he more than filled all her qualifications for the night.

"Giovanni, it's so nice to see you here!" she told him as she beamed up at him. "This is Goten, my brother's best friend," she said in an offhand manner.

They shook hands and she could feel Goten's hostility beneath the polite smile.

_Perfect. _

"Goten, this is Giovanni. He goes to Satan College to give business seminars once in a while. Besides being a genius, he also takes the time to answer curious college girl's questions," she chortled, smiling teasingly at Giovanni.

"Nice to meet you, Giovanni," Goten said, his eyes a bit feral.

Just when they were about to begin chatting, Trunks interrupted them.

"Goten, I want to introduce you to Carla... Oh, hello." Trunks noticed Giovanni, and Bra made more introductions. When that was done with, Trunks wasted no time in telling Goten, "Carla is Tram's _single_ cousin. She works with software and she's going to be sitting with us."

Bra knew Trunks was trying to hook Goten up, and as normal as that was, and as innocent as Carla seemed, she couldn't help but abhor her on the spot. She looked a bit like Tram, the same big eyes, similar mouth and nose. But Carla's hair was black, her eyes were a darker shade of brown, and she was taller and was a lot more voluptuous than red-headed Tram. She was the kind of girl Goten usually dated. Feeling miffed, she turned towards Giovanni, and started a conversation with him, and Goten did the same thing with Carla. She was so involved in trying to determine how Goten was reacting towards Carla. It seemed he was responding very positively, since he was openly flirting with her- that she missed what Giovanni was saying.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?"

Giovanni sent her a divesting smile. Too bad it wasn't working too much on her. "I asked you how's your boyfriend's doing."

Bra smiled, flattered. He was handsome, young, successful, and ambitious.

"We broke up recently," she replied.

But his hair was too perfectly combed, his manners too proper. His tux fit him too well and his sense of humor was too appropriate. He seemed too much like the indoors type and probably only worked out enough to keep in shape, but didn't sport bulging muscles. He was 27 and looked it while Goten was 31 but looked to be in his very early twenties.

Oh no! She was comparing him to Goten, and finding him lacking. Goten's black spiky hair was a bit tamer tonight, but it was a lot wilder than Giovanni's. He was already holding a huge glass of whiskey. His tanned skin gleamed. Even though he looked great, his very muscular build was more at home in a training gi than a rented tuxedo.

Even knowing it was hopeless between them, she was still extremely attracted to him. Trying her hardest to be charming, she set off to entice as many men as she could, striving to ignore the rakishly handsome man who would glance at her intensely every once in a while.

The man she actually wanted.

The reception finally started and Bra made a half-hearted attempt at catching the bouquet. Carla seized it and sent a carnivorous smile to Goten. Immediately, Bra saw red and got territorial. When the band began playing the classical tune right after the bouquet was thrown, Bra was more than willing to dance the waltz with Goten. She managed to wedge herself in front of him, and even though a couple of guys were heading her way -Giovanni was standing besides her and Carla was almost glaring at her. Bra smiled at Goten, silently letting him know she would say yes if he asked her to dance. Thankfully, he took her hand and immediately draped his arms around her, making her dizzy.

She noticed he danced waltz almost as well as he danced Merengue and soon regretted having maneuvered the situation, for he held her too close for comfort. She even felt his lips on her ear, and heard his deep chuckle when she gasped and pulled away.

Bra was a mass of quivering and trembling nerves by the time the unbelievably long dance ended. Or at least it seemed very long to her. Her knees felt rubbery as she stood up to dance with a smiling doctor with a thick Western accent. Too old, she thought, even though he was only a year older than Goten. A gorgeous black-haired young businessman tried to catch glimpses of her cleavage all through the next song. He was way too horny. A very successful broker asked her to dance next and told her all about his several ventures and companies he owned. He was too obsessed with his job.

Giovanni claimed several of her dances. Another young man called Shen seemed interested in more than her cleavage, good looks or her family's money. He was witty, interesting and polite.

But he wasn't Goten, she realized despairingly. Beyond frustrated with herself, she found herself accepting Giovanni's suggestion to get some fresh air outside in the gardens.

He opened the sliding glass doors and took her hand once they were outside. She let him do so. Once outside, they gazed up and Giovanni pointed out Orion and smiled when she found a couple of other constellations he hadn't noticed in the star-dotted sky.

Bra was relaxed and enjoying herself when Giovanni took her hand and pulled her forward playfully. Their chests were almost brushing.

"Your eyes are amazing," he murmured, his white teeth flashing.

"_Arigatou_," Bra replied, feeling a bit uncomfortable, knowing he was openly flirting with her when she didn't feel like doing it back anymore.

His hand reached forward, brushed one of her gleaming blue strands away from her face. Gazing at her with regret, he smiled sadly.

"Why is it that I feel you're looking at me, but not really seeing me?"

"I don't know," she replied, berating herself for coming outside with him. He was harmless, she knew. If she said no he would smile and pull away. But she hated placing both of them in that position. If her senses weren't going berserk because of Goten, she wouldn't have encouraged him in any way.

Shaking her head, she regarded him sadly and pulled her hand away gently.

"_Gomen_ but..."

"Don't be sorry," he interrupted her, stroking her hand with both of his.

Bra shook her head again and pulled her hand again, a little harder. "It's not okay, I shouldn't have..."

Giovanni's smile flashed in the moonlight as he leaned forward and slid a hand up her neck and kissed her, swallowing the rest of her sentence. Bra's hands went up to his chest and pushed very lightly -she didn't want to hurt him-, but he ignored her body language. She pushed harder and he finally let her go.

"Am I interrupting something?" a voiced boomed from behind. Bra whirled around, her eyes round and huge, seeing Goten's imposing and intimidating form framed by the tall sliding glass doors.

"No, not at all," Bra exclaimed, while stepping away from Giovanni. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she told him, "Could you give us a minute?" He nodded and stepped out quietly. Goten moved aside at the very last second to let him through.

She then turned towards Goten, a bit embarrassed. What must he think of her? Also, what the hell was wrong with Giovanni, being so aggressive? This had definitely been an interesting week and it wasn't over, apparently.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, walking out here with that guy?" bellowed Goten.

"_Me_?" she screeched. "What are _you_ doing here? I can handle myself, thank-you-very-much."

"So his attentions were welcome, then. Sorry I interrupted," he replied snidely.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Argh! What did you want? To make a scene?!" she practically screeched.

"A scene? What about you and that dude out here making out?"

"None of this would've happened if it wasn't for you and..."

Bra trailed off, realizing she had said too much.

"If it wasn't for me and what?" Goten asked, a huge satisfied grin on his face, she barely had time to adjust herself to the sudden change when she felt emotions clog her throat and her eyes felt itchy and full.

"Oh, shut up and leave me alone," she spat, turning away from him.

"Nope," he replied as he grasped her arm and turned her to him. "You're going to explain right now."

"Let me go!" she exclaimed without much conviction when his lips captured hers, defying his wishes of wanting her to explain anything.

_Dear Dende_, was all she could think as she held on to him, unspeakably aroused as he expertly delved his tongue into her mouth, as he trailed his hot hands all over her. She could swear her clothes were disintegrating. She could feel his heart pounding violently against hers. It was an exhilarating feeling. He was so strong. His tangible strength was excruciatingly exciting; his ki was pulsing through her like a drug.

When he shifted slightly and aligned their bodies into an erotic position against the banister they were leaning on, Bra groaned when their bodies brushed against each other tantalizingly. Goten was gasping by the time he stepped back and forcibly pulled away her eager hands.

"Let's get out of here," he told her huskily, twinning their fingers together as he pulled her deeper into the gardens. Bra followed him quite willingly.

To be continued...

Japanese words used in this chapter:

dende: Earth's current god or deity  
arigatou: thanks  
gomen: sorry

_Author's notes: __I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	8. The Little Chat

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 8: The Little Chat**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

"Let's get out of here."

Bra nodded mutely, and Goten's lust boiled under his skin. He felt almost feverish he walked away, holding her hand.

"Bra! Goten! Tram's toast is in a second! Where are you guys?" yelled an obviously irritated Trunks.

In a lighting-speed move, Goten clamped his hand over Bra's mouth and an arm around her waist just when she was about to reply. Trunks couldn't see them, since he was standing right in front of the sliding doors and they were hidden by the shadows of the night. Just to be sure of his relative invisibility, Goten hid behind a tree with a very thick trunk.

"Trunks, we're out here. We were on our way out. Bra's feeling pretty crappy."

Goten marveled at his own composure, even as Bra was fiercely struggling against him. He was too strong, and she couldn't squirm away. When she bit down on his palm he merely winced but didn't let go. Then she kicked his shins hard. _Okay, that hurt_.

Against his will, he felt her arousal grow even stronger. Very few other men -or for that matter, women- could have held Bra captive this way. She might not be a fighter but she was trained in the martial arts and was still stronger than any human. There were only five other beings who were also had Saiya-jin blood who would be strong enough to imprison her so securely.

"What do you mean she's feeling crappy? She was fine a couple of minutes ago," Trunks inquired suspiciously.

"She had too much champagne and perhaps ate something that didn't settle. She almost fainted out here while throwing up," Goten lied again smoothly.

Her struggles grew more intense, and she was squirming indignantly.

"Oh jeez! I'll take her home right now," Trunks said, panicking a bit.

Swallowing back a big lump of guilt, Goten reassured him, "Don't worry. I'll take her home. You don't want to miss Tram's toast, do you?"

Goten could see Trunks' internal struggle from his hidden viewpoint. He held his breath and kept holding on to Bra, whose struggles had ceased for the time being. Trunks obviously wanted to take care of his sister, but also didn't want to miss the party. He trusted his best friend to take his sister home, but felt guilty by placing that burden on Goten when it should be his.

"Okay... I guess... I'll call you on your cell in half an hour," Trunks muttered. He had obviously decided to leave the task to Goten, since he was being so _nice_. Goten winced in remorse as he watched Trunks stand there for a couple of seconds, making him sweat in apprehension. Would he come forward to personally check on Bra? Would she tell him what had been going on the last two weeks if that happened? Relieved, he saw his friend sigh, turn around, and walk back into the party. _Would Trunks ever forgive him for lying to him like this_, Goten wondered worriedly.

Goten couldn't believe his good luck. Trunks hadn't even attempted to actually see her. Trunks really trusted him, and that made him feel rotten to the core. His growing guilt faded a bit as Bra resumed her struggles and managed to squirm free. She glowered at him darkly for a couple of seconds. She looked so cute in her indignation and rage it made him smile.

Then she opened her mouth and began bellowing. "How dare you?" she shrieked, sounding so much like her mother when she argued with Vegita that he almost freaked out for a second. The resemblance was uncanny.

Moving quickly, he grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder and took off, flying away from the hotel and the wedding reception.

"Let me down _kisama_!" she screeched, banging her fists on his tuxedo-clad back. "Let me down or I swear I'll beat the _chikuso_ out of you." When Goten didn't even react, she screamed even louder, "Dammit! Let me down _baka! Kuso!!_!"

Goten merely grinned at her cursing and attempts to hurt him and flipped her over so she would be facing his legs. Unfortunately, she got creative and decided to bite his calf.

"OUCH! Stop it!" Goten complained, as he grabbed her and flipped her upright effortlessly.

"Goten, you'll regret this, you big _bakayarou_--- Hfmp"

The rest of her curse was muffled by his hand, which proceeded to clamp down on her mouth yet again.

"Bra, relax. Did you really want your brother to find us in the garden? Your hair was messed up, your dress is wrinkled and your lipstick gone. Not to mention we were both panting like racehorses. Come on, I'm just taking you away for a little chat. That's all. I've been trying to make you understand, with actions and words for the past two weeks, but every time I get close you either run away or someone else interrupts. Not this time. This time you will listen. I didn't mean to go this far, but you're way too bullheaded for the gentle approach."

Bra pulled back to glower at him, eyes narrowed to angry slits. Goten thought she appeared funny and laughed. She scowled just like Vegita. Well, maybe it wasn't so funny.

"You won't be laughing so hard once you let me go and I make you be sorry for the way you have just kidnapped me."

Goten laughed again, and simply shrugged, not worried at all, despite how menacingly sincere she sounded. She could be able to bestow major damage on him if pissed enough but he knew she could handle her. "Then I guess that's the price I'll have to pay to have my say."

They remained silent for the rest of the little flying trip, which finally ended when Goten landed in front of his little house. It was his pride and joy, even though he was heavily in debt and had spent a lot the savings he had put away for a couple of years after buying it and his car. But who wasn't in debt nowadays?

He deposited her gently inside the house and she finally regained her footing and pulled away as he let go of her arm.

"I'm leaving," she declared, turning away.

"_Iie_, you aren't," Goten warned her, grabbing her by the waist and whirling her around to hold her trapped against his chest.

"You _baka_!" she screamed, trashing against him. But again, she couldn't squirm free. Seemingly deciding struggling more would lead nowhere, Bra held still and glared at him. "I'm really getting tired of your manhandling. You've done nothing but grab me, drag me and kiss me lately," she told him in a soft but deadly voice.

Goten couldn't help it, he had to kiss her. She looked so indignant it was arousing.

Bra's temper fired up as she found herself in his arms and almost melting against him once again. Angrily, she bit his lower lip, hard.

"Ay! Why did you do that for?" he yelped.

Stepping back, Bra squared her shoulders and spit out, "You can't just kiss me whenever you want."

"Oh no?" he said, advancing on her, his eyes glittering like two onyxes as he wiped the blood from his mouth.

Bra pulled back a fist and punched him right on the mouth. His head snapped back and then Goten growled, unaffected after the initial shock, and tried to grab her, but she whirled around.

He finally got a hold of her arm; she kicked him on his shin. His grip loosened and she shrugged free, immediately punching him again in the face.

Too quick for her to dodge, Goten's hand dove into her hair and gripped hard enough to hold her still while being careful not to hurt her.

"Let me go," she gasped.

"Not until you promise you won't try to punch me again." He wiped his mouth from the bit of blood that had dribbled from the cut. _Thank Dende that will probably heal by tomorrow._

Bra's eyes seemed extremely sincere as she said _hai_.

He let her go and she, without delay, tackled him, and they both went down, where they began to wrestle fiercely. Bra bit, punched, kicked, and grabbed, using her arms and legs to do the most damage. She elbowed him in the ribs, and Goten uffed, as they continually rolled around on the carpeted floor. They were sideways when she managed to shift him and take the upper hand, pinning him beneath her, victory shining in her eyes.

Goten smiled and flipped over effortlessly, and now she was trapped under him. Bra hissed in frustration. Goten was the victor, holding her down, holding her hands captive in his, their fingers entwined, his leg splayed over hers to prevent her from kicking him. His face was right on top of hers, his eyes staring at her lips. Her breath smelled of peanuts and champagne, her body and its soft feminine curves underneath his harder and bigger frame. He barely managed to ignore that fact, trying to control his arousal.

Somehow, neither of them had powered up or used their ki in any way. It had been almost a silent agreement not to completely destroy his house or alert every other member of their tight, ki-sensing little group that something was going on.

They were both breathing hard and Goten was trying to figure out what exactly had happened. She looked unaffected, so at least he hadn't hurt her. What was going on! They were acting like animals in heat.

Regulating his breath, he kept staring down at her, wanting to apologize but knowing that doing so now would be a sign of weakness for her. He would apologize later.

She shifted and he couldn't help the groan that escaped her lips. Her wide eyes flickered to his and he sighed.

"If I let you up, will you try punching me _again_?" he asked and this time, he knew she meant it when she blushed and then nodded.

"Okay, but first..."

He kissed her with bruising force, and she bucked under him, whimpering. Before she could think of biting, he had raised his head.

"That was for punching me in my own house."

Bra began to protest hotly, but Goten placed a finger to her lips and stopped her from continuing. Bra frowned and then rose, rejecting Goten's helping hand. Sighing, she plopped down noisily on the sofa.

Goten sat on an easy chair in front of her, grinning at her while she crossed her arms over her chest almost protectively.

"I'm not usually good with words, but I guess I'll have to use them now, since actions don't seem to be working." He paused and sighed. "Bra... I'm not playing around here. This is not just a game to me. I'll tell you the truth, I don't know exactly what is it that I want... or why I've been acting this way. But I do want a chance to find out... for us to find out together. I've heard all your objections, believe me; I would have never seen you any other way if it hadn't been for the combination for the events that have led us here." That was a bit of a lie, but he wasn't ready to tell her everything yet. It had enough truth in it that he felt comfortable enough to say it with conviction.

He sighed again and gazed at her thoughtful face. "May I ask you a question?"

"Whatever," Bra replied in a strangled voice.

"You've dated quite a bit, haven't you?"

Bra's expression turned to indignant and he just grinned. "It's a simple question."

"Okay, yes, I have," she bit out.

"Why do you think you've never felt satisfied with any of the guys you've dated? Hasn't something always been missing. Jeez... that sounded so cliché... But I know you've tried everything, from models to average appearance, very smart to almost dumb, extremely rich, middle-class, athletic, intellectual... I know you've dated even more than your family and friends know, and they already consider you flighty and frivolous and even worse. I know that's not true. You're just looking for the right guy," Goten stated kindly.

"How do you...?"

"_How_ doesn't matter. I've always been interested in you in what I _thought_ was a brotherly way. I'd never seen the possibilities, the obstacles were blinding me."

"What possibilities?" she whispered, eyes wide. He felt hopeful that he was reaching her.

"The possibilities are obvious," he replied. "We're two of the seven living beings with Saiya-jin blood."

Bra snorted at that and crossed her arms. Goten studied her, noticing a softening of her stance. Perhaps he was getting to her.

"You still haven't answered my question," Goten told her.

"What question?" Bra snapped.

"I asked you if you've ever felt truly satisfied with any of your boyfriends."

"Don't be so crude!" she spluttered, offended.

Goten smiled and leaned back on the easy chair. "I wasn't asking about your sex life, although it is very interesting that's the first thing that came to your mind... Anyway," he continued, cutting her complaint short, "I do want an answer… please."

"Well, you're not getting one," Bra screamed at him, sounded frustrated.

"Me neither," Goten told her seriously, and Bra's eyes snapped to his, and she flushed darkly, not even trying to pretend she hadn't understood. "I've always felt something was missing. A certain connection." To prove his point, he reached out and touched her face; feeling pinpricks of sensation shoot up his arm.

"Damn," he said, shaking his head. "It's getting stronger, but I felt it ever since our first kiss. Don't you feel it too?"

Bra shook her head and Goten frowned.

"That wasn't the fist time we kissed."

Smiling, Goten asked her, "When was the first time, then?"

"I was ten and there had been a party till very late at my place. For some reason you ended up with the task of making sure I got to bed. I was falling asleep on my feet but didn't want to sleep. You cajoled me and when I was lying on the bed, I made you promise you would marry me when I grew up and then I asked you to give me my first kiss." Bra laughed at the memory, and Goten joined her.

"And I did, I gave you a peck on the lips," Goten reminisced with nostalgia.

"I never forgot it..." She sighed and began toying with her own fingers.

"Goten..." she began, but Goten silenced her with an incredibly sweet kiss. He was sitting on the edge of the seat, only his lips touching hers. She shuddered.

"Bra," Goten began, but this time she silenced him, kissing him like her life depended on it, grabbing fistfuls of his jacket and pulling him forward. His hands streaked up to her hair and glided towards her neck and shoulders, answering her demands, groaning when she nipped his lip. Then she leaned back on the sofa, bringing Goten with her so that he was half-sprawled on top of her.

Goten fought for control. His head was spinning, his conscious thoughts drifting away. He was only aware of her curvy, agile body beneath his. Valiantly, he tried to resurface, to remember he had come to talk, to convince... but her mouth was driving him mad.

She began attacking his jacket, never breaking the incredibly heated kiss, and he groaned as he surrendered his sanity. They plundered on each other as she was working on his shirt.

The shrill ring of the cell phone jarred both of them, but they didn't break the kiss. The cell phone kept ringing. Two, three, four times.

"Damn, that must be your brother," Goten muttered, untangling his legs from hers, sitting up and turning on the cell phone.

He knew Bra could only hear his side of the conversation. Obviously flustered, she began to arrange her dress and hair as he said, "Yeah, she is fine. --Have you called her house yet? --No? You shouldn't because she's sleeping soundly. --No your parents aren't even home, I think they are at a party too. --Okay. Sure. --No man, I'm tired, I don't think I'm going back. --Yeah, don't worry. Enjoy yourself. --Bye..."

When he glanced up again, Bra was gone.

To be continued...

Japanese words used in this chapter:

kisama: very, very rude way of saying you  
chikuso: Powerful expletive  
baka: stupid, idiot  
kuso: crap or very worse, expletive  
bakayarou: asshole  
iie: no  
hai: yes  
dende: Earth's current god or deity

_Author's notes:_ _I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	9. Say Yes

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 9: Say Yes**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

A couple of days after Goten had practically kidnapped Bra from Lucy's wedding, Bra still felt awful. Not because of the roughness in which he had treated her when he dragged her away for their "little chat". It did annoy her, but she had to admit she hadn't really given him any other choice besides forgetting about the whole thing. And that was something he seemed disinclined to do. In any case, they were half-Saiya-jin, and so they both had a dark side and it seemed she made Goten's surface.

No, she felt awful because she was a coward.

She had run away because she was scared. She was terrified of what she was feeling, scared of what he seemed to be feeling too. Those emotions were such a big tangle that it was hard to pick them apart. She could recognize infatuation, lust, confusion, and fondness. Especially lust, it was present ever since they had kissed almost three weeks ago.

Bra hadn't even discussed what had happened with any of her friends. When Trunks had asked her what had happened, she delivered the same lame drunk slash ate something bad story Goten had given. Trunks had seemed dubious, but hadn't said anything further.

Trunks wouldn't butt in where he wasn't wanted. Sure, he wouldn't like it and he would probably talk to Goten about it, but never with her. He had learned the lesson years ago when he had tried to act the dad, and had attempted to interrogate her first boyfriend –since her dad couldn't care less about her social life. Although, who knew how would he react if he knew 'Kakarot's' son was sniffing after her? She had gotten so furious with Trunks for bothering her boyfriend that he'd never done it again. They had actually ended up using their ki against each other, incinerating their mother's garden in the process. There were no words to describe how pissed Bulma had been that day. After that incident, her brother would frown at the guys he disapproved of -pretty much all of them- but he wouldn't go any further.

It did bother her, though, the fact that Trunks and Goten's friendship could be in jeopardy because of her.

Feeling lost and miserable, Bra starred blankly at the desk in front of her. She knew she would have to borrow someone's notes for that day's class. In fact, she knew she would have to borrow a lot of notes. She could hardly concentrate on anything at all. She missed Goten so much it was painful.

It was peculiar too. She had never been _that_ close to Goten. Sure, he spent _MASSIVE _amounts of time at Capsule Corporation and he and Trunks were annoyingly inseparable. They were so chummy she was sure that if Trunks wasn't always dating some hot bimbo -same as Goten, really-, the tabloids would have invented some story about how gay they were a long time ago.

Despite this, she and Goten had never really talked one on one much. Someone else was always present. Even though she had known him her whole life, she really didn't know him that well.

She did know he was very carefree. He almost never lost his temper, and he had a penchant for laughing in inappropriate moments and would do it loudly too. Many would call him immature, but who was she to judge him? Everyone assumed she was immature and worse, flighty and a slut. Goten did seem like a big child at times but then showed such wisdom at random moments that it was disconcerting. He also lacked in pretension. He could have gone to college but he had preferred to start working right after he graduated from high school.

He was very devoted to his mother, who raised him only with the aid of Gohan until he was almost eight. Goku could be the strongest being in the universe, but it seemed that circumstances and his own personality were always conspiring against his time with his family. First he stayed dead almost eight years and then he came back to life and lived with them for ten years. After that, he was always off for some reason. First it was Uub then there was always some other planet that needed his help. He showed up once in a while, but he spent most of the time away from home, going off and training even more than Vegita had done back when he hadn't been able to deal with having a mate and son.

Gohan was married and had left home but Goten had stayed longer. It wasn't until a few years ago that he had finally gotten his own place. Perhaps he lacked in ambition, but he seemed happy and grounded despite everything he had gone through in his childhood. That, she thought, was what was lacking in most ambitious people, herself included.

Also, as long as she could remember he had been a "chick magnet" like Trunks would so fondly put it. It was a combination of his dark dashing good looks, carefree personality, great sense of humor and smooth, yet not slimy pickup lines. He'd always had a fan club almost as large as Trunks', even though her brother was even wealthier than her.

Goten was also extremely loyal, incredibly strong, -he'd been the youngest Super Saiya-jin in history- could be extremely stubborn and was surprisingly neat and orderly. He also had a great sense of fashion and always looked great not matter what he was wearing.

Still, all of those facts she knew about him didn't even begin to describe who Goten was. And they shouldn't be enough for her to miss him the way she did. Everything reminded her of him. Yesterday, she'd caught herself staring at Trunks as he shoveled food down his throat, just like Goten -and every other Saiya-jin, for that matter. Trunks had been annoyed and had told her to stop staring at him.

_I have to get over him_, she thought, frustrated. _He is too old, too close to my family. He comes from a different world in so many ways… and I can't control my feelings for him. I can't keep them inside as I usually do. Sure, I've wanted him for years, but this is different. This is too much. I never thought or expected he would also feel attracted to me. I dreamed about it, but always knew it was impossible. _

She supposed that she'd been mourning the fact that Goten would never be hers for so long that she didn't know how to handle a situation in which they could be together.

She had gotten over so many guys after she realized they didn't really complete her. Most of them thought she was heartless, but that was far from the truth. It really hurt her every time she thought she had found someone special, and then realized he wasn't the one. Breaking up was awful, and it wasn't her fault she had had to do it so many times.

_I can also get over Goten… Right? _

Confused beyond endurance, she buried her head in her hands, and her classmates stared at her, a mixture of worry and amusement in their faces.

Bra, oblivious to this and to the sharp voice of her teacher asking her what planet she had traveled to today, could only think about how miserable and lonely she felt despite the fact she was always surrounded by family and friends.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

At the other side of town, Goten glumly contemplated what a mess he had made of things. If only he'd been more patient and played her game longer. It seemed she was genuinely confused and distraught, and he'd assumed she had been playing and had pushed her way too hard.

All he could do now, he contemplated glumly, was wait for her to take the next step. What he feared was that the step would take her far away from him.

What he couldn't understand was why he had acted so out of character. He had never forced anything on a woman before, not even his presence, company or attentions. But he had completely forced Bra to talk to him, had tossed her over his shoulder and _kidnapped_ away from her brother's girlfriend's sister wedding! He was out of his mind! Sure, she was being extremely stubborn, but that was no reason to justify his actions. Now he was knee deep in dog poo after having shoved too hard.

What if she decided to reveal to Trunks what had happened? He could deny it until doomsday, but if it came down to believing one of them, who knows who Trunks would believe? His best friend or his sister? It would be a though choice. Besides, it wouldn't feel right to continue deceiving his best friend in such a situation.

He seriously doubted she would do that, though. She wasn't the kind to involve her family too much in her personal affairs. She did tell her mom almost everything, but Bulma didn't get her involved in her problems. Bra always tried to deal with them by herself. And her dad, that was a complete different story. The man was terrifying, to say the least. Still, even if there weren't any tangible consequences for his actions, Bra would never talk to him again, and that was consequence enough.

Just contemplating the fact he could suffer the loss of her friendship, even as casual as it had always seemed to be, tore at him painfully. He had always known she had a crush on him and had taken it for granted. It had both flattered and disturbed him. Ever since she had turned fifteen she had started sending him smoldering glances when she thought he wasn't watching. Sure, she usually had a boyfriend around, drooling over her, and depending on how much she liked her current interest, the intensity of the stares would diminish, but never completely disappear. It was something perhaps not even she had been aware of.

He'd never given her any indication he was aware she had a crush on him. He found it sweet, innocent and didn't want to embarrass her. Besides, it looked like she understood the obstacles and had never crossed the line. She'd never openly flirted with him, until that night at the club. To be honest with himself, he had most likely been the one to initiate it.

Goten sighed in frustration. Who would have thought there would be penalties to a mere kiss? It hadn't been just a kiss, though. It had been a lot more than that. He'd felt a connection he'd never experienced before which such an intensity and speed. It was as if it had always been there, and all it had taken was for him to touch her and for her to respond for the link to be created. She beckoned to him, and a little voice in his head kept whispering to him not to wait, not accept no for an answer, to conquer, posses, take, _plunder_.

Shaking his head, Goten attempted to clear these dangerous thoughts. It had been an extremely long and stressful day. The gym had been busy as hell and way too packed. He had trained tirelessly for hours after getting off work to ensure he would fall asleep as soon as he hit the pillow that night. First, he had trained by himself, and then with his brother. Usually it was quite a chore to get Gohan to spar with him, but today he hadn't even said a word when Goten showed up at his house, sweaty and already slightly weary. His older brother sensed he needed some type of release and had simply walked out with him and had taken off to their usual spot.

Goten vented his frustrations on his stronger and older sibling, unleashing most of his ki power. The ground shook and sparks flew everywhere as they locked hands during their match.

As he was avoiding punches, a foreign thought entered Goten's mind quite suddenly and a bit painfully. It was one of extreme hilarity, the kind that makes you roll on the floor with tears in your eyes for hours on end. He gasped at the strange emotion. Gohan drove his fist into his stomach as he was momentarily distracted from the strange occurrence.

After that, Goten kept striving for the mindlessness of a good sparring section and when they were finished, both were tired sweaty and aching, and the bizarre incident had been filed away in a little corner designated for the inexplicable and wacky.

"You really gave me quite a workout today, little brat," commented Gohan, intentionally teasing him with the childhood nickname.

"You gave me an even better one, nerdy pants," panted Goten in reply.

They grinned at each other, faces bruised and bloody. Goten decided not to discuss his dilemma with his brother quite yet. Gohan was perceptive enough that he probably knew something was eating at him but didn't pry. Instead, Gohan invited Goten over to eat dinner, boasting about how Videl's cooking was getting good as their mother's. It was what he always said about his wife's cooking and Goten secretly disagreed with his statement, for their mother's cooking could never be equaled in excellence, even though Videl's cooking was very good.

Gohan informed him that Pan wasn't home. She had left with Bra to watch a comedy and a foreign movie in the theater. The comedy was reputed to be very funny and the foreign one had won all sorts of awards, Videl told him. Goten was relieved that he wouldn't have to endure the torture of facing Pan, who knew what was going on and who knew the reason for his unhappiness.

After an evening spent with his brother and his sister in law, he went back to his small house with a full stomach and higher spirits. Unfortunately, coming to a lonely house and lying alone in his bed depressed him yet again. At least he was sleepy enough and succumbed to the sweet oblivion of slumber quickly enough.

That night he dreamed of a Spanish movie he'd never watched because he didn't know Spanish. Even if he had known the language, he wouldn't have enjoyed it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Bra normally loved Saturday mornings. Saturday morning was usually a time for pampering herself. However, that morning she didn't feel too great. She had woken up slightly sore for no reason, like she had worked out endlessly the day before. Determined to begin her day as usual, she started it by swimming even though it was fifty degrees outside. The pool was heated, and one of the great things of being Saiya-jin was that her skin seemed to be more insulated against extreme weather. Bra donned an electric blue string bikini and swore as she was fastening the strap.

_He _was in the house. How she knew right away, she couldn't tell. Normally ki detection wasn't one of her strong points, especially if she wasn't deliberately seeking someone. But she felt Goten's presence like thunder in her head. She could sense him on the pool deck. He'd flown in and made himself at home. _Ugh! Why wasn't the pool covered? Why wasn't Trunks home to distract him? Dammit! _He knew she always swam Saturday mornings. How many times had he given Pan a ride to C.C. a Saturday morning just like this?

Gritting her teeth, she decided she wouldn't hide in her own home. She'd treat him as he deserved after his actions a week ago. Not only that, but he hadn't even apologized or tried to talk to her after they had almost done it on his couch! Thankfully she had reacted before things had gone too far. Why hadn't he gone after her when she left? Honestly, at this point, she really didn't even know what she was mad about.

Had it really been a whole week? Yes, it had been, and a hellish one at that. She'd done nothing but think about Goten. Goten, Goten, Goten. Her mind was a garden where only his blossoms grew.

Bra stomped out of her room and walked to the pool, scene of a previous encounter with her crush. Determinedly, she squashed those passion-drenched memories before they could surface and torment her.

As soon as she saw him reclining on one of her lounge chairs, casually dressed in jeans and a red muscle shirt, her heart began hammering for no apparent reason. _No, scratch that_, she reflected. _My heart is hammering because I want him so damned much I would jump him right there where he is sitting right now if I had a tiny bit less of self-control. _

But mixed with the sudden lust was unease and remorse. All of a sudden, she felt the urge to run away because of the deep guilt she felt. She wanted - no needed - to leave.

Shaking her head, Bra cleared her thoughts, but her annoyance did not return, obliterated by other, stronger emotions. Breathing deeply, she asked him, "How are you doing?"

She hadn't even planned on talking to him, but the unexplainable remorse egged her on.

"Fine."

"That's great," Bra replied, feeling confused. Being so close to him was blurring her thoughts, and she could no longer reason coherently.

"I want to apologize," Goten started genuinely. "I am truly sorry about what happened last week… and the week before that. You have every right to be angry at me. The way I've acted, especially last Saturday… it was inexcusable."

"Inexcusable it was," Bra agreed. Neither of them realized that wasn't a word he normally used. Bra had the larger "prissy" vocabulary, or at least that's what she was often told. Her temper cooled down, and she was suddenly anxious to make peace.

"I want to talk. Really talk. Let's go out to dinner tonight to a nice place with flowers, champagne, a snooty waiter. I want to really apologize to you, and talk, in a more neutral environment than here or my place. What about Giorgo's?" He offered with his Son smile.

Bra smiled in spite of herself. It was like he was reading her mind. She adored Giorgo's.

"That's a lot of talking you just did in that sentence," she teased him. Goten blushed becomingly and all of a sudden Bra decided she had to be the _stupidest_ woman alive.

He was here, asking her out on a date. After years of wanting him, it was _he_ who wanted _her_. _He'd_ been the one to approach _her_ after their first kiss. He could have very well pretended along with her that it had never happened but he'd been too honest to do it. He'd then kept insisting with her, persistently pursuing her ever since.

Could it be? Could it be that her dreams were coming true? It was the fifth or sixth time _HE_ had come to _HER_.

Why was she fighting it? Was she a TOTAL idiot and a coward to compound it?

So what if he probably just wanted her body? She'd give it to him gladly and perhaps make him fall in love with her in the process.

He was peering at her sheepishly, awaiting her answer. Goten, the man she'd always fantasized about was here, practically begging her to give them a chance.

There was only one answer she could give him.

"_Hai_. "

Goten beamed at her, looking happily satisfied and relieved all at once and Bra smiled back.

"I'll leave you to get ready and primp," he teased her. "I'll pick you up at eight."

Bra could have protested at the short-notice invitation, but she was dying to set things right. "We could always take my brother's limo."

Goten could have taken offense and have thought Bra didn't want to arrive to a fancy restaurant in his less than luxurious car. He seemed not to mind, though, perhaps he knew she didn't mean it that way. She wanted a big limo all to themselves

"Sure," he agreed. "Let's go in style."

"Okay."

"Yup."

It was so quick that a peeping Tom hanging from the gate wouldn't have been able to follow the action. One second they were a foot apart, staring at each other silently. The next, they were clinging to each other. Kissing and devouring like their lives depended on it, plastered together from head to toe, striving to get even closer.

"I've missed you _so_ incredibly much," Goten whispered in her ear as he nibbled on her earlobe.

"I've missed you too," Bra whispered back.

"Why can't I stop thinking about you?"

"I don't know,"

In a moan rife with need they continued kissing deeply, holding on to each other. They were seeped in heat, and it was scorching every inch of their skin, making their blood simmer. They were intoxicated on each other's moans, fueling the spiraling sensations that were quickly reaching a dangerous crescendo.

"I… I better leave before someone catches us," Goten panted.

"Okay," Bra managed to say, her own breathing labored.

Goten took off, acting like he was about snap and grab her like some sort of caveman. This gave Bra an exciting glimpse of the lust and passion he kept mostly leashed behind that seemingly casual facade he wore.

Bra smiled to herself, thinking how pissed everyone would be if they found out how many times they had flown around when they weren't supposed to.

She also had an extremely tempting fantasy of ripping her own bikini off. Giggling, she shook her head, deciding she had read too many spicy romance novels lately.

Distracting her from her thoughts walked in her mother, wearing a tiny white bikini. She could only hope and pray she would look as good when she reached middle age. She knew it took a lot of work and money to look like that, but the results were certainly worth it. Bulma looked forty at most.

"How did you sleep last night, honey? Better than the night before?"

"Not really Mom, but don't worry, I'm just stressed out."

Bulma's eyebrows rose at that and she knew why. She always dealt with stress beautifully. So well that most people thought she was simply empty-headed, which was very far from the truth.

Her mother was examining her expression intently and Bra just looked back at her, trying to hide her thoughts. Could her mom find out what had just happened by just looking at her?

Suddenly, her _kaa-san_ grinned and said, "It's been what… a month since I've seen you with a young man," Bra's well-meaning mother hinted.

Bra's eyes tinkled in spite of herself as she giggled. Her mom was closer to the root of the problem than she knew. The reason why she hadn't been able to sleep lately _was_ guy-related.

At that moment, Bra was tempted to tell her mother everything that had happened during the past two weeks. Something held her back though... perhaps the fact that it was still too new and she wanted to keep it all to herself for a little bit.

"Do you know where my little black dress is? I need it for tonight," she finally asked her _kaa-san_, grinning.

Bulma laughed heartily, seated on a lounge chair, spreading sun block on her fair skin. "Honey, why do you ask me? Ask one of the cleaning robots."

Bra chuckled at that and mother and daughter sat comfortably as they began to chat amicably.

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

hai: yes  
kaa-san: mother

_Author's notes: __I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	10. Northern Cuisine

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 10: Northern Cuisine**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

"Is this an intervention?" Bra complained loudly, chuckling.

"Hell yes it is," Pan replied hotly.

"I wouldn't call it an intervention, it is more of a friendly meddling," Marron teased, her blond hair in a ponytail. She always wore her hair up in one way or another but she didn't wear it in pigtails anymore. It suited her, just like jeans and t-shirts and tank tops suited Pan.

They were seated on Bra's extra large king-size bed, among her many fluffy pillows.

"Guys, really, there's nothing to tell."

"Come on!" Pan snorted while Marron just pursed her lips.

Smiling, Bra looked at her two best friends. Somehow, it all came back to those two, no matter how different they were or how much they argued. It had a lot to do with the fact they all knew how unique their families were and because of the secrets they kept from the rest of the world.

With those thoughts in mind, Bra finally told them everything that had happened last week.

"No way!" exclaimed the naturally explosive Pan.

"No way, it's unbelievable," Marron declared.

"I _know_," Bra said with a sly smile on her lips. "I still can't quite believe it myself."

"What's gotten into him?" Pan inquired, perplexed.

"Lust," commented Marron dryly.

Bra's eyebrows rose at that but she didn't contradict her older friend either, which they both noticed.

"Seriously, I don't know what's gotten into both of us, but we're going to discuss it tonight."

"Oh, I am sure you two will do a lot of _discussing_," put in Marron very tongue-in-cheek.

"Let me guess, a Southern restaurant," interjected Pan.

"Nope," Bra replied.

"Northern?" Marron guessed again.

"Yes," answered Bra, smiling.

"And who's idea was it?" Pan inquired.

"Goten's," said Bra, a bit defensively.

"Hrmp," was all Marron contributed.

"And you're wearing this?" Pan asked, fingering the little black dress, lace bra and thong arranged neatly on top of the bed.

"I… Ah…," stammered Bra. Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink.

"So you guys are just going to discuss, huh?" Marron asked tartly.

"Well, yes, we are. We are going to talk…" Bra said meekly.

"And you'll be wearing that…" interrupted Pan.

"And there'll be candlelight," said Marron.

"And sumptuous food," commented Pan.

"You'll be going in a limo," chirped Marron.

"Just the two of you," Pan said.

"Let's not forget there'll be wine," Marron chimed.

"Or perhaps champagne," said Pan.

Bra burst out laughing when she found herself directing her attention back and forth like a gyrating fan.

"You guys are too much. Really, it's nothing."

"But it is!" contradicted Pan. "He wants something from you."

"Yeah, _something_," cracked Marron.

"I didn't mean it that way!" complained Pan.

"Alright you guys, I get it. You're trying to make a big deal out of this. Honestly, I still haven't decided what to do. On one hand, I've always felt attracted to him, but he's like my brother."

"_Onegai_," Marron snorted, rolling her eyes. "You guys were never that close and you've been drooling over him for years. No way can you tell me you ever truly saw him as brother."

"Yes, but…" Bra tried to put in.

"And now he's drooling over _you_. It's all so exciting! Like a movie," Pan exclaimed very girlishly, eliciting a snort from Marron.

"I think you've been hanging out with Bra too much," Marron said in a deadpan.

Pan stuck out her tongue and Bra laughed.

"Well, I guess I'll find out tonight. I can always walk away from this whenever I want," Bra told her friends and even she could hear the doubtful tone in her voice.

"Sure you can," Pan said positively.

"_Sure_ you can," Marron stated a bit sarcastically.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, Goten smiled and wondered how many men would readily maim or preferably kill him just to be in his shoes.

Bra looked stunning in that slinky black dress. It flowed and clung to her beautiful shape as she brushed her hair in front of her mirror. It wasn't fully zipped so he got a glimpse of a lot more of that creamy skin that he had bargained for. She was also wearing what looked like a really well made and expensive black wig. It was short and straight and made her look even more exotic.

She picked up a tube of lipstick, opened it and made a face. She selected another one and smiled, obviously approving of the color. As she looked at her reflection, the tube sprang away from her fingers, clattering noisily on top of her dresser. She turned around and frowned at him.

"I could've been naked or something."

"Hmmmm, really? I'm sorry I missed that."

Bra smirked and Goten jumped into her room, leaving his temporary perch on her windowsill. He was instantly right behind her, grinning at her.

"Since you're fifteen minutes early, you can be of some assistance and zip me up," she murmured teasingly and somewhat flirtatiously.

"Sure," he drawled, and smoothly placed a hand on her hip. Slowly, he drew the zipper upwards, his fingers trailing over her bare spine.

She shivered and moved away from his hands as soon as he was done.

"You have dangerous hands," she told him as she turned to face him. She was blushing a bit.

"And you have dangerous lips," he replied, looking at them almost hungrily.

"Oh, Goten, come on," she said, trying to dispel the flying sparks. "Let me put on some lipstick so we can leave. My dad will kill you if he finds you here," she threatened as she turned to the mirror.

"Small price to pay," he teased as he plucked the lipstick from her fingers. "You don't need this; your lips are fine without the stuff. Besides, you'll smudge it anyway."

"Really?" she inquired, her eyes narrowing.

He turned her around to face him, casually draping his hands around her shoulders. He drew her close, grinning at her. He saw her swallow and couldn't help but tease her.

"Nervous?"

Her chin went up and her nose threatened to touch the ceiling. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not being ridiculous. I'm a bit shaky myself."

Bra merely gave him a _look_ and he smiled again.

"I think I know what will make us feel better."

He closed the distance between their lips smoothly and with no resistance at all, even though her eyes had widened a bit when she realized his intent.

_Wow, she has gorgeous eyes_, he mussed as he touched his lips to hers, brushing and caressing them softly.

Abruptly, Bra buried her hands deep into his thick hair, angling her mouth to expertly deepen the kiss. They groaned together when Goten pulled away shortly afterwards.

"Feel better?" he asked her, a bit unsteady on his feet.

"Hmh?" she murmured distractedly, one hand still in his hair, her gaze on his mouth.

Not being able to resist, he kissed her again until he had to either drag her away or give in to the urge to drag her to that virginal looking bed, arranged with all those fluffy pillows. Actually, the whole room was very girly. There was a mural of a prairie scene on one wall and a huge picture of her looking quite gorgeous right over her bed. The entire bedroom was decorated in light blue and white. The dresser was white, the bed's comforter was blue. The closets were white with blue designs. It was strange really, but just standing in such a feminine space was strangely turning him on. It was like breaching a forbidden sanctuary.

Her eyes widened and she stepped back, a hand on her throat, as if she had read his less than honorable thoughts.

"Here you go," he said as he handed her the lipstick. "I still think it's useless, but I know you wouldn't be caught dead leaving the house without wearing it."

Bra frowned at him, but merriment danced in her eyes as she tossed it back. It landed noisily on her beauty table and rolled to the floor, but they ignored it.

"So what's with the wig? Going incognito?" he asked her laughingly.

"Sometimes I get followed by paparazzi, you know. I just want to try and throw them off," she explained, smirking.

"Oh, the price to pay for being beautiful, rich and famous," he said melodramatically.

"Oh Goten, you're too much," she teased him affectionately. "And I still can't believe this is happening."

"What? That I'm actually looking your way after all these years you've felt attracted to me?"

Temper flared in her eyes quickly and he let her spin away from him.

"This is all a game to you, isn't it?" she snapped.

"No," he stated very firmly, very clearly. "I'm still not sure what it is," he told her as he reached forward and captured one of her blue locks of hair.

"But it is not a game. That's why I feel tonight we should be completely honest with each other," Goten said firmly and then noticed the crackle fizz in Bra's eyes fade as she expelled a little annoyed puff of air.

"Okay, you're right. It's true that it's hard to believe you're all of a sudden attracted to me when you where here when my mama brought me home from the hospital," she said, peering at him from underneath black bangs.

He smiled and nodded, "True, but that was more than nineteen years ago, Bra. Things change, and you're a woman now. I can't lie to you and tell you I haven't noticed you've turned into one. A woman that turns heads and makes men of all ages sigh."

He could see she was pleased by the compliment, so he had to tease her further, "I myself have often plied away adoring fans."

"That's because I'm beautiful, rich and famous," she said, eying him speculatively.

Temper flared into _his_ eyes this time.

"Listen Bra," he cut out. "Never assume that has anything to do with this," he growled, moving his hands in a sweeping motion, including the two of them.

"Fine," she replied curtly, "Is it because I am also half Saiya-jin? Do you feel there's something missing in human women? Are you worried that one day you'll snap one of them in half, no matter how much control you try to maintain over your strength?"

Goten's eyes flared and Bra simply held her ground. However, he wasn't angry at her words but relieved she had been the one to state them.

"Yes, that's part of it," he finally said after a couple of seconds rife with tension. "Isn't that part of why you find me attractive too?"

She nodded and Goten felt equal parts of satisfaction and worry. Could it be that was the only reason? He could tell she was wondering the same thing. Her doubts reached him like uncomfortable little slaps.

"Why don't we continue this conversation at the restaurant? The limo is waiting for us outside and I really don't wish to be dismembered by your father."

Bra smiled at his wane attempt at humor. Even though it was a bit of a joke, he wasn't ready for her dad to find out he was involved with his daughter in any way or that he had laid his hands on her.

Oh, and how much he loved putting his hands on her.

Licking her lips, she nodded and followed him as he stepped outside her window and floated there. He held out a hand and she stepped out of her room. They hung there in midair, looking into each other's eyes until she smiled and tugged him downwards. They landed and walked towards the limo. The complex was so big that they had to stroll the equivalent to two blocks before rounding to the entrance. They didn't mind, though, since they were enjoying walking under the stars, holding hands, their fingers intertwined. Goten smiled, thinking how nice it felt to have a quiet moment like this.

They continued to hold hands during the limo ride, quietly taking pleasure the seemingly innocent caress. They were still hand-locked when the limo stopped in front of the establishment.

It was a charming place. The entrance was decorated by two water fountains, one on each side of the heavy open oak doors. On one side there was a marble lion, water dripping from his open jaws. On the other side was an eagle, seemingly in midair.

When they walked in, Goten noticed how muted and elegant the colors were. The whole restaurant was decorated in brown and beige. Even the waiter's uniforms were brown pants or short skirts and beige shirts or blouses with a brown necktie. The tile was gleaming cream.

The Maitre'd showed them to their reserved table for two. It was so tiny, Goten was sure it was done on purpose to force intimacy between the couples that frequented the place.

He glanced at Bra and sent her a huge grin. She stifled a sigh when their calves brushed as they sat across each other. His grin turned into a full-fledged one. Bra tried really hard to scowl at him, but she just couldn't and he, not for the first time, marveled at how it seemed they could read each other's minds.

A waiter came to them and asked for their selection of aperitif.

"I don't have a preference, what about you, honey?"

Bra frowned at his use of an endearment in front of a waiter before she had even given him her answer as to whether she would give him a chance. His triumphant smile challenged her to complain out loud. She contained herself.

Glancing once more at the extremely elegant leather-bound menu Bra decided for a glass of Cinzano. Goten ordered the same. The waiter left with their order.

"I don't really know much about wines," he admitted honestly. "I really like Long Island Long teas and Screwdrivers, but I wouldn't dare ask for that here," he said, his mouth lifting in a half-smirk.

"You could always try, they aim to please," she shot back, looking at the milling orderly waiters.

Goten shook his head and said, "I think I'll stick with this fine Cinzano."

"How do you know its fine?"

"You have really good taste."

She shrugged and blushed a bit. Ah, so she seemed to be flustering her tonight.

The waiter arrived with their crystal glasses of wine and asked if they were ready to order. Both nodded. He was a gangly young thing, all big black eyes, and long limbs and pimples.

Bra ordered the Veal Roulade and the waiter exclaimed in a fake French accent, "Oh, ma'am, it'z delizious, filled with Parma Procuitto and fresh stuffing, _draped_ wiz exquisite Marsala sauce."

They glanced at each other and she saw the same amusement she felt dancing in his eyes. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the giggle that was bubbling in her throat.

"I'm… erm… glad to hear that," Goten finally uttered, holding in his laughter.

"It'z an ezellent choice. And what would you, divine mademoiselle, vant to drink with your dinner?"

"Ah… I'll have a… ahem… glass of Bordeaux Rougue," Bra replied in a strangled voice.

"Ezellent choice!"

"I rather thought you'd find it so," Goten told him, barely suppressing a smirk.

"And you, fine gentle man, vat vill you dine tonight?"

"This fine gentleman will have some Lasagna."

"Vat type of lasagne?"

"I know you don't have it in the menu, but I want plain old classic meat lasagne."

The bizarre waiter finally left with their orders, they simultaneously burst into laughter.

"Can you believe that guy?" Bra said.

"Oh gods, that was so funny!" Goten stage-whispered.

"And you, ordering Lasagna." Bra choked out.

They kept giggling, trying to keep it down after an elderly couple glared at them from the adjoining table. It seemed the atmosphere in a fancy Northern restaurant was supposed to be dignified and muted.

They managed to plaster on straight faces as the pimply young aspiring actor returned with their glasses of wine, but covered their mouths as soon as he turned away. Thankfully, he didn't attempt to talk to them anymore, but simply bowed dramatically.

Thus, the atmosphere between them visibly changed and became a lot more relaxed. Bra wasn't worrying about her legs brushing against Goten's anymore, a fact that didn't elude him in the slightest. That was why Goten mourned the fact that he had to open up a line of conversation that might make Bra tense up again.

"I need to apologize. I haven't been myself lately."

Bra merely shrugged and smiled, "You've already done that."

"I know I have. But I still want to do it properly."

Bra smiled again, leaning forward. "Let's hear it, then, I love it when you grovel." She sounded so much like her father. Although, Vegita would have never had such a teasing expression on his face.

His eyes lighted up in merriment. It seemed Bra had really loosened up if she was willing to forgive and forget, teasing him so. "I never grovel. Never!" he declared dramatically, eliciting a giggle from his black-wigged date.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say."

"No, seriously, I would never do that."

"You groveled for me to come here with you."

"Little did I know, you would have come anyway," he told her.

"Right…." she drawled.

They gazed at each other, holding their wine glasses, smiling and suddenly, all the apologies, explanations, excuses and evasions evaporated from both their minds. No more talking was needed.

He reached forward and captured on of her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. She lowered her gaze, clearly embarrassed. Goten thought that was adorable.

Feeling playful, he nipped her skin, and then sucked slightly.

With a mock-horrified expression on her face, she snatched her hand away and inspected the damage.

"A hickey!" she exclaimed. "My goodness, I haven't had a hickey since Hir…"

"Since Hiroshi?"

Bra shook her head and frowned, "Never mind, I'm sorry that slipped out, it's just that…"

"It was something that reminded you of him, that's fine; actually, I am glad you sort of mentioned him, because I've always wondered what really happened between you two."

"What _really_ happened?" Bra inquired archly.

"Yes, rumor has it that you left him for another guy a bit after you two got engaged. Is that true?"

Bra shrugged, a clear stab at being nonchalant about it, but he could clearly tell it was simply a stab at an emotion, not a real feeling.

"Is it true?"

"Well, in a way. Our relationship was already fading a bit. We didn't really get engaged," she said, fidgeting. _She's lying_, he thought. "So I leaped at the chance to get it on with another guy," she finished, trying to sound convincing.

"That's pure _kuso_!" Goten blurted out

"How would you know?" she asked him, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Erm, I wouldn't, it just doesn't sound like you," he lamely explained.

"Of course it sounds like me," she told him.

"No it doesn't," contradicted Goten.

"Again I ask how _you_ would know in this particular case?" she asked, a frown on her smooth brow.

Goten shrugged, and this time, he was the one trying to be nonchalant and failing.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What is it that you know?"

His hands went up in midair and he affected the trademarked innocent Son countenance. "Nothing, I swear!"

"Sure… I don't believe you."

"Whatever happened to Hiroshi? I heard that he quit college after his accident," he asked her, seemingly trying to change the subject.

Obliging him temporarily, she replied, "Yeah, he ended up in a fight. No one knows with whom. He never told anyone, not that I cared."

Goten grinned Bra scowled.

"Do you know something I don't?" she questioned pulling back from him slightly.

"All I know is that I don't think you left him for another guy. You wouldn't do that."

He kept grinning, though, and Bra's eyes widened.

"Goten, are you in the habit of spying on me?"

"No, of course not," he said extremely insincerely.

"I thought we were supposed to be honest with each other."

"You're right, besides, this will prove the fact my interest in you is not sudden."

Bra folded her arms in front of her chest, waiting for him to continue.

"One day I was at your place… and you ran in crying and locked yourself into your room. I pretended I was going to the bathroom and I flew outside the complex and floated right in front of your room. You were telling Pan what happened with Hiroshi, I heard everything."

Her eyes widened, and her face paled a bit.

"So, you know how he… he cheated on me and how he was my first…"

"And only until now, yes, I do know."

"And the fight?" she asked, eyes widening. "Oh no."

Goten had no idea whatsoever what her reaction would be. She looked shaken, but not too mad. That could easily change.

"How could you spy on me!" she practically roared.

"I was worried; I'd never seen you cry before."

"That gives you no right!"

"I know, _summimasen_."

"So what, you went to beat up this guy because of what he did?"

"Not exactly, I went to tell him to get the hell away from you and that he better go along with your plan of pretending you were the one who dumped him. I told him he better help you save the little pride you still had left. He got smart with me. He started acting like a total _bakayarou_, suggesting perhaps the two of us had already been getting it on and other perverted stupid little comments. I insulted him back and he took a swing at me. We started fighting and I guess I got carried away."

"You sent him to the hospital!"

"It was just a broken nose."

"And a couple of broken ribs too."

"He ran into my fist."

"Uh huh…."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he apologized, looking at her through his thick spiky bangs, hoping she would buy the apology.

"I can fight my own battles, you know."

"I know."

There was a rather long pause. Goten's throat felt dry and tight. Bra just kept staring at him, considering her next words. Her expression was unreadable. He began breaking up in a cold sweat, his pulse hammering. By god, but she made him nervous.

He shifted, extremely uncomfortable, and finally noticed the little smirk on her lips. The little tease was playing with him!

"It's kind of nice having someone fight them for me, though. Just once in a while," she finally told him, smirking.

Goten beamed and got a hold of her hands again.

"So you forgive me for snooping?"

"I guess."

"And for beating up your ex-boyfriend?"

"I sure do."

"Great."

They sunk into one of those moments again. Words weren't necessary, and the outside world was non-existent. The waiter had to clear up his throat twice to get their attention. He set their table, attractively setting their plates.

"Iz everyzing zatisfactory?"

"It certainly is," Goten replied, his eyes not leaving Bra's face, clearly not talking about the presentation of the food or the aperitif they had already sipped.

The waiter replied something neither of them heard. He left and was ignored by the two half Saiya-jins who were vastly distracted with each other.

Bra leaned forward, her cheek brushing his. All the blood in Goten's body rushed to his head and then it pooled in a decidedly south area. Her lips were almost brushing his ear.

"The answer is yes," she whispered huskily.

Goten was confused for about two seconds until he remembered what he had brought her here for. It had been for some talking, sure, but the main purpose was to hear her answer.

She was going to give them a chance.

He grinned and kissed her hands after she pulled back.

"Great."

Bra smiled back, clearly pleased too and a bit rosy. Suddenly, he also felt extremely tingly and flushed.

"What do you say we go to my place after this, watch a DVD and order four extra large pizzas?"

"Sounds great," she replied, grinning widely.

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

onegai: please  
shiimata: crap (or worse)  
summimasen: a formal way of saying I'm sorry  
bakayarou: asshole

_Author's notes: __I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	11. Going to the Movies

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 11: Going to the Movies**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

Bra felt extremely foolish. There she was, sitting on her bed, staring at her clock like some love-crazed teenager… that she was, technically. She was nineteen, which still made her a teen, and she might not be _completely_ love-crazed -just a little-, but she was sure acting like it.

Sighing deeply, she cursed all men, especially all Saiya-jin men… well, maybe just one since two of them were her blood relatives and the other two were already married and old enough to be her fathers. So basically she was cursing Goten, the jerk. He hadn't called her since their date Saturday. It was already Tuesday night.

Okay, so it had only been two and a half days. He should have called her sooner, perhaps that same night or at least the next morning. So what if she was being a bit demanding? The man pursued her until she gave in and now he just forgot to call her for almost three days?

The phone rang and startled her to death. Hand on her chest, she frowned at the offending device. Her caller ID informed her it was the cad calling her.

"_Baka_," she muttered with a smile on her lips. She waited three rings until she picked it up.

"_Moshi moshi_?" she sang out, like she hadn't been moping just three seconds ago.

"I want to see you," he said succinctly.

"Really? That's interesting," Bra sniffed.

"Isn't it? Don't tell me you're upset that I haven't called you till today."

Bra's face fell. Was she that obvious? Her spine stiffened and she heard Goten chuckle as if he had seen her.

"Of course I'm not upset," she informed him in a cheery voice that grated at her own ears.

"That's great. I do want to see you. I'm dying to watch this movie that just came out."

"Which movie?"

When he mentioned its name, Bra winced, no way in hell would she have chosen to watch that movie. It was full of action, violence, fast cars, heroes and villains. Oh, the sacrifices she had to make to go out with a sexy, charming, strong, sexy, hot, sexy, hot, sexy, sexy, insufferable man. She wanted to inform him he could go with any other of his _male_ friends he chose, including her brother. But he was inviting _her_, and she really did not want to turn him down just because the movie he had picked wasn't to her taste. Besides, a dark theater was the perfect place to make out, and she was going to freaking _perish_ if she didn't get a taste of that incredible mouth of his soon.

"I promise next time we can watch any fruity movie you want," he said.

"Actually, I was _dying_ to watch it."

Okay, so that was a bald-faced lie. She could pretend to enjoy the movie, anyhow. She had done it millions of times before, she was sure it wouldn't be so difficult to do it again.

"I don't believe you," he put in, humor abundant in his voice. "I remember the time that Trunks and I took you and Pan to the movies when you guys were really young. You cried when one of the bad guys got killed. Your mom yelled at us for more than half an hour for taking you to an R rated movie."

Bra smiled and shook her head, remembering that day. Then her smile vanished. Oh dear, he had been twelve when she was born! Remembering that fact made her feel embarrassingly young and green.

"So how about that movie? I got tickets for 9 p.m."

Bra stared at her nightstand clock. It flashed back at her in angry red letters. It was 8:02.

Well, then again, maybe she wasn't so young and green after all. Any man who wanted to watch a comic book movie and called a woman less than an hour before the movie was supposed to start -giving her less than half an hour to get ready!- was certainly not ripe enough to fall from the tree. He was also so sure she would say yes that he had already bought the tickets.

"Why did you wait until 8 o' 2 to call me, dearest Goten?" she asked sweetly.

"I'm sorry… it was a spur of the moment thing. I was on line and thinking about you and bought the tickets."

_Well, then, isn't that sweet? _Her belly warmed with affection. Goten was so _kawaii_.

There was a pause in which Bra could almost see Goten twitch. The least he could do was sweat a little after giving her such short notice. While he did that, she ran to the closet and grabbed her favorite pair of jeans. She'd gotten them after a Versace fashion show in which she'd participated. He'd probably seen them a million times, but not with the tiny teeny fuchsia top she was going to wear it with. She grabbed a pair of fuchsia killer sandals as well, but decided they were too much for such a short notice casual date. Instead she grabbed a pair of sneakers that had some fuchsia stripes. Yes, she also had sneakers with blue dots, black designs, red blotches and plain old white ones. Of course she owned sandals in every color under the sky too. She also owned black, white, red, brown, blue and tan boots and a dozen dress heels. She could never have enough shoes.

The whole process of choosing her clothes took her all of thirty seconds. She could be fast when she wanted to.

"… But if you don't want to go, that's fine, I understand I perhaps didn't give you enough time to get ready."

Bra smirked. "Really? How long do you think I take getting ready?"

"Hmm… I don't know, the typical high maintenance woman can take up to 45 minutes, not counting a shower," he chortled.

"So you assume I am high maintenance?" she asked him while she pulled on the very tight jeans. She had a hairy moment with the stupid zipper but managed to work it.

Trapped by his own words, Goten laughed nervously, "No, that is not what I meant… well, maybe you are."

"I guess I am," she told him as she snapped close the front clasp of her strapless bra and pulled on her top. "But I know when to be quick too."

"Well, of course, I wasn't saying you're slow, just that usually girls take forever to get ready," he told her, laughter evident in his voice.

"You're completely right. Why don't you test your theory? I bet I can be ready by the time you arrive here."

He chuckled. "Naw, that's fine. I don't need to bet anything… besides, I wouldn't mind waiting. We can always switch the ticket to the 9:50 showing."

Bra's eyebrows rose. "Is that a challenge? Bring it on. I'll be dressed to kill in 20 minutes." Could she ever resist a challenge? The answer was no.

"What are we betting?" he asked her, his tone very mischievous.

"I'll tell you when you pick me up."

He laughed, deep throated and wonderful. Bra felt herself shiver. "If you are not ready, you'll have to watch the movie twice."

"Well, in that case, if I am ready, you will have to watch any _girly_ movie I want."

"Deal."

Then he hung up and Bra rushed to the closet, taking off her sneakers and her jeans. She replaced them with a denim mini-skirt and the fuchsia sandals she had called too fancy. She was going to dress to _kill_.

When Goten tapped on her closed window -she had been making sure she closed her window and drapes in case he decided to drop by unexpectedly again, she wouldn't want him to see her with hot rollers in her hair!- she almost panicked. She'd only had time to quickly style her hair and apply some lipstick.

But then she realized he wouldn't even notice she didn't have eye shadow. He was a guy after all.

Quickly, she sprinted to the window so he wouldn't say she hadn't been ready. When she opened it, he immediately yanked her outside, holding her in midair. Then he grinned and planted his lips firmly on hers, making her eyes roll back when he began kissing her in earnest.

When he finally broke the kiss, she was secretly wishing they could just climb into her bed and finally finish what they had started the night when they'd kissed at the club. But the fact being that neither of them was ready for that step, or at least _she_ wasn't, they would have to wait for a more appropriate moment.

He beamed at her and said, "Oh well, I thought that by flying here I would win. You look great. Sure you're not too cold in that teeny tiny mini skirt?"

He planted his hand on her thigh, trailing his fingers up to the short hem, teasing her mercilessly.

When she blushed scarlet and frowned at him unconvincingly, he laughed and dropped them both to the ground.

"I guess we have to go in my car, then," she remarked ironically as he took her hand and began purposely walking towards the garages.

He merely smiled and kept walking rather fast.

"Why are we rushing?" Bra finally asked when they reached her little red convertible.

"'Cause I'm sure that some fruity movie will start quite soon."

Her eyes narrowed. "You are not making fun of me."

"Yes I am."

He was gazed at her with such a mock-defiant expression she laughed and un-narrowed her eyes.

"Actually, I would feel bad if you missed your movie. It's okay, we can watch it."

"But you won the bet," he pointed out.

"Not really, I didn't finish doing my makeup."

"I hadn't noticed," he admitted, peering into her face.

"Yeah, I figured," she stated dryly.

"Hey, I'm a guy, I don't know about that stuff," he complained.

"Yeah, I noticed," she replied, wagging her eyebrows and eying him from head to toe appreciatively. He looked great in that dark blue sweater and blue jeans.

"What? The fact I'm a guy or that I don't know about that stuff."

She merely smiled enigmatically and opened the car with the clicker. With a bemused smile on his face, Goten sat on the passenger seat. Pretty soon afterwards, they were speeding towards the movie theater.

Goten complained about her driving and Bra merely drove even faster. He simply closed his eyes, muttering about crazy girls and fast cars and she ended up relenting and driving at speed limit.

"You're so funny. Were you really going to close your eyes all the way to the theater?" she asked him, laughing at him openly.

"It's not that long of a drive," he replied, shaking his head and frowning at her in mild disapproval.

"Fine," she relented as she followed Goten out of her car after they found a parking spot at the theater parking lot. "I will drive at speed limit from now on."

"I don't believe you," he shot back, his arms crossed.

Just as Bra was about to reply, Goten's eyes widened and he tried to open the passenger door, apparently, to get back into the car.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bra asked him as he made motions to her to open the car with the clicker.

"Yamcha's headed over here," he said.

"Yamcha?" she asked, a note of complete disbelief in her voice.

"Yes, so open the door. Ugh, no time for that, just duck. You're pretty short."

"Hey!" she squeaked indignantly but still squatted down next to her car, feeling like an idiot.

"Wouldn't you suppose he'll recognize my car? And don't you think he already saw me? Or felt our freaking ki?"

"Shhhhhh."

She spotted them as she peeked over the window to see the action. This was ridiculous. He'd already seen them. Attached to him was a small curvaceous brunette. Her clothes seemed like they had been spray-painted on her. Clearly a classy lady… Not.

"Hey, Goten… what's up? Why is Bra ducking over there?" Yamcha greeted them.

"I'm not ducking," she explained, smiling as she straightened up. "It seems my car got scratched. I was examining the scratch."

Yamcha nodded with a doubtful expression on his still handsome features, clearly not believing her. She was too obvious, fidgeting and acting embarrassed. Well, she couldn't help it. Goten looked nonchalant enough, but Bra's flaming face gave them away. He regarded them suspiciously, his eyes stopping on Goten's lips. They were a bit glittery. Surely he wouldn't imagine Goten had started wearing lipstick.

Goten wiped his mouth in reflex, but it was too late. Bra knew she was probably wearing a guilty-as-hell expression. She glanced over at Yamcha's wide-eyed look and groaned. Their cover, if they'd ever had a chance for one, had been blown.

"Listen Yamcha-san, I would appreciate it if you didn't…" began Bra, but Yamcha swiftly interrupted her.

"…tell your _kaa-san_?" he finished, raising a dark eyebrow.

"Yes," Bra said lamely, clearly looking uncomfortable.

Bra saw Goten rolling his eyes from her peripheral vision. She pleaded to him silently to help because clearly, she didn't have much experience maintaining a forbidden relationship. He, on the other had, had plenty of it. With the mother he had, every girl he ever dated either he just _had_ to marry like right now or she hated –mostly the latter. It was never middle ground.

"Yamcha-san... Who is this lovely woman?" Goten cut in, facing one of his dad's oldest friends with an easygoing smile.

Yamcha's eyes narrowed, but he complied. "Carrie, these are Bra and Goten, children of two of my oldest friends. Goten, Bra, this is Carrie."

Carrie smiled brightly and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you. You guys are the first friends of Yamcha's I've met," she said with a little giggle. "I am so happy to finally meet friends of Yamcha. Aren't you guys happy to meet me?" she finished with a breathy voice and a pointed glance to Yamcha.

Bra and Goten blinked and glanced at each other. They did not have to guess what was going on in that relationship. It was pretty evident.

"Erm... of course," Bra replied, shaking her hand and giving Yamcha an odd look.

"Honey, would you mind opening the car for us and waiting there for just a minute? I need a few moments with my friends here."

Carrie scowled but still took the keys Yamcha was handing her and walked to the car stiffly.

"We've been dating for only two months," he began explaining when she was out of earshot.

"That's cool," Goten said and then sighed, running a hand through his wild hair. "Hey, we would really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone," he finally requested, peering at Yamcha guiltily.

"I don't like lying," Yamcha scolded, his face serious.

Goten groaned and Bra felt like doing it too. The funny part was that she believed Yamcha. He was a very a straightforward, honest and good man.

"_Sumimasen_ Yamcha, but if you do that… if you tell Bulma about us, I will have to tell… hmm… I don't know, maybe my mom about you and you know… what you told me that day at the bar," Goten said, appearing very uncomfortable.

Yamcha scowled deeply. "Son, I was drunk that day, I didn't know what I was saying."

"But I believed you. Please Yamcha; we don't want people to know yet."

Yamcha eyed Bra and she nodded eagerly. "Please?" she added, batting her eyelashes like she would to her dad when she was in a tight spot. Her pleading eyes had gotten her out of trouble so many times, she really hoped they would do the trick this time if blackmail didn't. She then threw a questioning look at Goten. What did Goten know about Yamcha that she didn't?

"Okay, fine. I would just hate for you kids to get in trouble. And young man, I can't believe you were trying to blackmail me," Yamcha affirmed sternly.

"_Sumimasen_ sir," Goten replied, shuffling his feet a bit and blushing.

"Okay then… See you around."

With that, he turned to his car.

"Jeez, I didn't know he was that strict," Bra whispered, holding in an inpertient giggle.

"Naw, he isn't. He just really cares about you, just like he does for your _okaa-san_," he explained as he took her hand and then kissed it.

"But what is it that you would tell your mom about him and my mom? Everyone knows what happened. Yamcha cheated on mom so she ended up searching for comfort in my dad and ended up falling in love with him."

"Right," he snorted, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" she asked him, gripping his hand a bit harder.

"Why don't we sit somewhere? Let's go to the food court and I'll tell you about it."

"Okay," she agreed.

The movie was forgotten as they walked towards the food court. They sat down and Goten began his story.

"Like two years ago the whole gang was at some restaurant celebrating the fact my dad was back for a day or something," He paused, looking a bit angry about that, but before she could ask him about it, he continued, "After a while everyone began leaving, including you. Trunks and I, though, were not sleepy and had nothing to do the next day. Obviously, neither did Yamcha. So we stayed and ended up at the bar drinking till the week hours of the morning. Yamcha got stinking drunk. It seems he gets weepy and sentimental when drunk."

"Really?" Bra inquired, amused by that new piece of information.

"Yeah, he began talking about the great love of his life. How she had betrayed him with that stinking alien evil mother… well, you get the idea… and how she had stabbed him in the back."

Bra gasped. "Oh my God… no way, how could my _kaa-san_ have done that?"

Goten shook his head. "I don't know. They weren't together at the time anyhow. They had known each other for over a decade but things weren't working out since they were constantly fighting. I guess they were growing apart. When your mom took in your dad, it was unavoidable for them to end up together. Well, maybe not _unavoidable_ but they did end up falling for each other."

"Well, my _tou-san_ took a lot longer to fall for my mom. He wouldn't admit it to her or to himself," she explained. "He still doesn't act very affectionate around her, in public at least," she added, smiling.

"Well, doesn't that kill the whole comforting theory? Do you really see your dad comforting your mom and settling for left-overs?" Goten asked her.

Bra frowned at his use of words, but she had to admit he was right. It didn't fit.

"That is so sad. He hasn't gotten over her. The string of women…" she began.

"It's a way of salvaging his pride and I guess he's trying to find another woman who will replace her," he said, obviously feeling sorry for the older man.

"But why didn't he tell people the truth?" she wondered.

"Again, to salvage his pride. Isn't that what you did when Hiroshi cheated on you?"

"Yes, that's true," she replied, feeling equally sorry for poor Yamcha. "But," she continued, "I can't believe _Kaa-san_ lied to me!"

"Did she ever tell you what happened point blank?" he asked her, tilting his head and looking thoughtful.

"Erm… not really," Bra admitted, twirling a lock of her long blue hair as she spoke. "In the past, she always tried to change the subject, saying it was too grown up for me. If she wasn't doing that, she was just nodding when anyone would mention it. She never really told me everything. She did tell me all about my _tou-san_ and how he rejected her at the beginning, but the whole Yamcha episode was always very hazy… how could I have not realized it?" Bra shook her head in wonder and gazed at Goten.

"We are often blind when we come to our parents," he replied ironically. Bra noticed it was the second time he mentioned his parents that night in such a sardonic way. Again, before she could inquire about that, he said something else and the subject was quickly dropped. They continued gossiping about Bulma and Yamcha for another half an hour. They were giggling about something when all of a sudden, Bra remembered why they where in the movie theater in the first place.

"Oh Goten, the movie!" she squeaked.

"Don't worry, another session starts at 11."

"Oh, okay. It's barely 10, though. You wanna eat something?"

"Are you hungry?" he asked her, eying her like he wanted to eat _her_.

Bra smiled very slowly and shook her head. "Not for food."

"What do you say we find some corner to make out for an hour?" he inquired, already standing up and taking her hand, brushing his fingers over the center or her palm.

"Sure," she croaked.

Smiling, they walked outside, seeking an appropriate spot. Goten turned to look at something behind them when she heard a strange pop sound. It sounded strangely like a camera flash.

Bra glanced around but saw nothing, and then Goten distracted her by dragging her to a corner and kissing her soundly and grabbing her ass.

Bra heard the sound again and realized it had to be a camera.

"Duck!" she exclaimed and immediately Goten did so. Bless his reflexes and warrior instincts. Another guy would still be standing there, wondering why she wanted him to duck or just plain old taking too long to do so.

She advanced forward and saw a man sprinting away. She attempted to follow him, but by the second block, he was long gone. He probably knew all the hiding spots around the area and she couldn't feel his puny ki at all or even if she could, wouldn't be able to distinguish it from anyone else who was just walking around.

When she headed back to Goten, she saw him still standing at the corner, looking sheepish.

"Sorry I didn't follow you, I didn't want him to get another picture of me."

"I know that's fine. This doesn't happen too often but occasionally, I do get photographed. I presume he didn't have more famous people to bug."

Both of them shook their heads. A dreadful realization made Bra's eyes widen.

"Oh my god, you realize my _kaa-san_ reads that several gossip magazines religiously?"

"Really?" Goten asked, trying not to laugh.

"Seriously, she says that we appear there all the time. People see us flying and think we are UFO's," she explained.

They fell silent and then Bra exclaimed, "Ahrrrg, I hate the paparazzi! I can't believe I forgot to wear one of my wigs!"

"I'm sure it won't be a big deal," Goten pointed out, trying to be reasonable.

"Oh, you won't be so reasonable when your picture pops out on one of those dingy magazines in a few days."

Goten swallowed and seemed very worried.

"What can we do?" he asked her.

"Wait and see what happens." She replied dryly.

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

baka: stupid  
moshi moshi: hello when answering the phone  
kawaii: cute  
sumimasen: a more formal way of saying I'm sorry  
okaa-san: mother  
otou-san: father  
kaa-san: mom  
tou-san: dad

Author's notes: _I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	12. The World's Greatest and Worst Kaasans

**Just a Kiss**  
**By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 12: The World's Best and Worst Kaa-sans**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

The sun caressed Goten's back tantalizingly. He signed, enjoying the sound of the far off surf, the scent of salt in the air and most importantly, the feeling of Bra's slender legs and arms wrapped around his larger frame.

After their run in with the paparazzi Tuesday night, they had finally watched the movie. Even though Bra hadn't wanted to admit it, she had clearly enjoyed it. Although she had made fun of it mercilessly, she'd still laughed and cringed and whooped according to happened on the screen. She was an active audience, feeling the movie like she was one of the characters. He really liked that about her, even if it made concentrating on the movie quite challenging.

Halfway through the movie, they had both stopped --well, mostly him-- trying to pay attention and had engaged in some old fashioned making out. There was not much you could decently do in a theater -although she gave him quite a few ideas wearing that short skirt-, especially considering it was only their second date.

It was getting harder and harder to control himself every time he saw her. It was not often he felt like a randy teenager. Well, scratch that, it was pretty often, but it was certainly not often that he did not seem to think about anything _else_ but doing her when he laid his hands on her.

Bra sighed, opened her eyes and gazed at him, smiling brightly.

"This was such a good idea," she whispered.

"I'm glad you liked it," he whispered back. He had practically kidnapped her before she could go to class that Thursday morning. He had the day off and there had been nothing else he wanted to do except for hanging out with Bra. They'd barely stopped by her mansion for her bikini, although he had suggested she do without it. She had just smacked him across the head and had still gone to pick up her beach stuff.

Why they were whispering, he had no idea. Perhaps it was because they were feeling drowsy after a couple of hours of frolicking in the surf. Bra had brought her surfing board, and had tried to teach him a bit of the basics. Unfortunately, it was going to take more time and probably another teacher. They had been often sidetracked, pretty much every time they touched each other, playfully or not.

Bra kept smiling at him and Goten felt his insides flip flop. Then she closed her eyes again, snuggling against him. She was so gorgeous. She was also funny, sharp, girly, kind, very spontaneous and fun to be with. Yes, he was very physically attracted to her. It wasn't only that, and that worried him. He wasn't in it only for the obvious benefits. He genuinely liked her. He always had, even when she had been a bitchy brat most of the time.

It was true what he'd told Bra that day when he had forcibly made her talk to him and taken her away from Tram sister's wedding. He hadn't been lying when he had explained he really didn't know exactly what were they doing or where was this heading. He'd never had to worry about that before. He'd always made sure he and his girlfriend were having fun, and if it developed into something deeper, it had to be mutual. If one of them felt more than the other, then it was better to break it off before it got worse. So far, he hadn't found someone compatible enough to get married. He had thought that Paris had been the one but that had not worked out.

Bra was less experienced, though. Even though she had had numerous boyfriends, only one or two of her relationships had lasted more than a couple of months. In her constant search for the Right One, she had gone through a lot. He hoped that didn't mean she wouldn't start rushing their relationship.

With a self deprecating laugh, Goten realized _he_ was the one who was wasting time and brain cells thinking about where their relationship was headed, not her. For all he knew, she might not even consider them a relationship.

All at once, that worried him a bit. Could it be that she was dating another guy, or thinking about dating others while going out with him? It was true that they hadn't spoken about exclusivity. It shouldn't trouble him, but it did. Even if it wasn't serious yet between them, and he didn't know if it would ever get to that point since they were still getting to know each other as more than friends, he had to know how she felt about it.

"Bra," he started, watching her open her eyes again.

"Yes Goten-kun?" she asked, grinning.

Could it be that she sensed his thoughts? Her smile was awfully smug.

"Are you seeing other guys besides me?" he blurted out. As soon as the words left his mouth he cursed himself.

"_Nani?! _" she almost screeched, disentangling her limbs from his and sitting up indignantly.

"I'm sorry, it was a lame question. I just blurted out the first thing that came to my mouth." _Oh jeez… has my father's head injury passed on onto me?_ "I know you usually stick to just one boyfriend… It's just that since we haven't talked much about… this…" he trailed off, feeling his face burn. Come on, he was thirty-one, not fourteen.

"Well…" she began, regarding him quizzically, considering her answer. She then smiled very confidently, making him nervous. What was going through that gorgeous head of hers? "I guess it is a reasonable question. After all, it's not like you've asked me to be your _girlfriend_. We haven't even really talked about it. This is an all around bizarre relationship. We've known each other forever and our family and friends will freak when they find out."

She smiled and Goten smiled back plastically, somehow unsettled by her words. Why had she mentioned the word girlfriend?

"I guess we can talk about it," Goten offered, not willing to let things unsettled.

"Sure we can. Is there something you want to tell me?" Bra inquired, batting her eyelashes and gazing at him from hooded eyes.

All of a sudden it all seemed so silly. Of course he wanted her to be his girlfriend. He did want something more. Why else would he risk his limbs by dating her? As soon as her brother found out, he would be furious. Trunks would probably stop talking to him for a while. And if Vegita found out… the thought made him shudder and his mind shied away from that possibility.

Goten grinned at Bra, who was still coyly waiting for his answer.

Laughing out loud, he took her hands. He kissed them both and then placed them behind his neck where they automatically tangled into his hair. He encircled her small waist and pulled her towards him so their bodies could be plastered together. They were facing each other, kneeling on the white sand. Palm trees were swaying in the gentle afternoon breeze. Being here with her had been worth driving for two hours. Bra looked up at him expectantly, smiling slightly. Slowly, deliberately, he tasted her lips. They were salty from the seawater. He delved into her mouth, savoring the moment, crushing her to him, holding her as tight as possible. They held and kissed each other for several minutes until Goten came up for air.

"I like you very, very much, Bra," he confessed, feeling like a foolish adolescent, but not caring at all.

"I like you too, Goten," she said, grinning widely.

"And I would like for you to be my girlfriend."

Bra laughed and nodded. "That sounded even cornier outside my head. You didn't have to do that, that was very sweet," she told him, nibbling his lips playfully.

"I aim to please," he said, enjoying her lips against his.

Needless to say, it was not necessary to tell each other they were still a _secret_ couple.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

It was Friday afternoon and Bra was in a bit of a bad mood. She had stayed up way too late with Goten last night and had totally forgotten about a test. Not to mention, she had also left that class early the day before so she had missed the review. She was very sure she had totally flunked the test. She was also very worried about when the article with the incriminating pictures was going to come out. She didn't really know how the whole magazine business worked, but she and Goten had been checking all of the tabloids daily since Tuesday. What were they going to do when it came out, she did not know.

Her high heels clicked on the marble floors of C.C. The clicking sound was suddenly drowned by her mother's voice booming through the stereo speakers that were installed all over the complex.

"Honey, come into the labs please. We need to talk."

Bra was not surprised that her mom knew she had barely stepped into the complex. There was a camera in the front and a beep had alerted Bulma that someone had just walked in. What did surprise her was the fact she was being summoned though the intercom. Something was up.

With trepidation, Bra walked towards the labs, ignoring all the art on the walls, the robots milling around and the gorgeous furniture.

Opening the heavy door, she stepped in and immediately covered her ears. What was that atrocious noise? A few seconds later, it mercifully stopped and Bulma stepped out from behind a big chunk of metal.

"Look at this," her mom spoke, tossing her a magazine a bit smudged with oil.

_How did she get a hold of tomorrow's Scandal magazine? _

"I always receive the magazine the day before it's released to the public," Bulma said, answering Bra's question before she could voice it. "That's what money can do. Go to page 24. You and Goten are in there."

Almost shaking with nervousness, leafed through the disreputable publication and read:

_Billionaire heiress has it all. She lives in the Capsule Corporation mansion with her genius mother Bulma, her brother Trunks who is Capsule Corporation's acting CEO and her mysterious father Vegita, a prince of a small foreign country (although such claim hasn't been completely confirmed, it is common knowledge). Prince Vegita has been very aggressive towards the press in the past but no charges have ever stuck. Bra is filthy rich, gorgeous and pretty smart to boot (if you can trust those SAT scores). She is constantly seen in exclusive clubs, luxury shopping centers, concerts and award shows. _

_However, poor Bra seems to have bad luck in love. She made headlines when she dated famous pop star Johnny Krentz. She had barely turned 18 when they were seen together in several restaurants. She was his date the night he won the Grammy for best new artist. Bra was the one to break the short relationship after a huge public spat that took place in Club 5. A month after the breakup, she was seen making out with actor David Bugle. A few weeks after that, the heiress was seen sucking face with yet another young actor. Bra seems to be jumping from man to man, just like her famous mother did before settling down. _

_That is why it is not a surprise that Bra Briefs has been spotted with yet another boy toy. She was seen and photographed at the new Satan movie theater holding hands and groping with an unknown man. Before a decent picture could be taken, the young man ran after the photographer and caused him some harm. The photographer is recuperating and getting some counsel to sue the perpetrator. _

Bra shook her head in bewilderment. That was the stupidest article she had ever read. The rumor mill must be running extremely dry if that was the best they could come up with. There were two pictures of them. Both were pretty blurry. In one of them, all you could see was Goten's back and her hands perilously close to his ass. It had been taken when they had been making out at a supposedly private corner. Bra was against the wall and he was holding her so that's why you couldn't see her at all, just a bit of her long blue hair. In the second picture, they were holding hands and facing the camera. Unfortunately for the photographer, Goten had been turning his head back so only a quarter of his face could be seen. It was dark, so someone who didn't know Goten wouldn't be able to recognize him. She, however, was instantly recognizable.

Bra glanced at her mom's stern expression. "Oh God, this makes me look like the world's biggest hussy."

Bulma's lips twitched slightly. "Oh honey, you've seen my tabloid scrapbook. I was seen as a bigger hussy than you will ever be." Her lips stopped twitching and her expression became stern again. "What is all this anyway?"

"_Kaa-san_, I am sorry I didn't tell you."

"You should be. How do you think I feel finding out this way?"

"But, Mom, we have only been dating for a week. That was taken Tuesday. They work damn fast." Bulma frowned and Bra pouted. "I'm sorry, _Kaa-san_."

"I thought you told me everything," Bulma complained. "You know you can, right?"

"I do… I was going to… eventually. I was just, I'm sorry I was afraid you'd tell _Otou-san_," Bra replied.

"You're very lucky you have such a good _Kaa-san_. Not only will I not tell your father or your brother, but I managed to buy all the issues of this magazine, just in case."

Bulma took two capsules and showed them to Bra. "I won't open them here; there are too many of them and not enough room in here."

Bra just stared at her mom, moved beyond words. Who could ask for a better parent?

Bra fell into Bulma's arms, sobbing. "Oh Mom, thank you so much! You are the greatest!"

Bulma smiled, "I know."

They stood there, hugging for a while until Bulma pulled back and asked, "How did this happen?"

"Well, we went to the movies and…"

"No, no," interrupted Bulma. "How did this start in the first place?"

Bra giggled and said, "First you gotta tell me all about what happened between Yamcha and you." Bulma's eyes widened but she took it in stride. "Seems like I'm not the only one keeping secrets," Bra teased her mom.

"Fine," replied Bulma shaking her head and smirking a bit.

"I'll tell you everything if we go to the living room or my room or something. We're just standing here like fools," Bra complained.

"We are far too intelligent and beautiful to ever be fools. Come on; let's go to the sitting room. I'll tell the robots to serve us some wine too. I'm thirsty," Bulma declared as she turned to the intercom set on the wall.

"You should also change. That outfit is funky as hell."

"Funky?" Bulma asked, glancing down at her shapeless oil-splattered gray overalls. "What do you expect me to work in, a ball gown?"

Giggling, they proceeded to step out of the lab after Bulma ordered the robots to prepare the sitting room.

That night at dinner, Trunks actually joined them. They were all so busy with their activities -her dad with his endless training and God knows what else, her mom with her company and her inventions, Trunks and his womanizing and well, work and she with her studies and social life- that they didn't eat together at the table as often as they should. It did happen at least once a week, though.

"I want to propose a toast," _Kaa-san_ announced, getting up and holding up her glass of fresh papaya juice.

"What is it now, woman?" _tou-san_ asked, being his usual grumbly self. Bra frowned at him and one of his eyebrows rose. She'd learned to read his facial expressions since infancy and that meant, at least in this occasion, that he was amused.

"Well, we are number one in the Forbes 500 this year!" she exclaimed enthusiastically and Bra grinned.

"Bulma, isn't your company always number one?" Vegita said acerbically, startling Bra a bit. Her dad didn't call her mom by name very often, preferring to call her _onna_, and when he did, it usually meant something. She supposed in this case, it meant that he was actually proud of her.

"Well," she cleared her throat. "Yes, but Yamatchi Inc. was hot on our heels. However we beat them, thanks to all our hard work -that means you too, Trunks- we are still up there."

Trunks beamed and Bra had to hand it to her mom. She had found the way to actually get through her brother's thick skull. Flattery.

"This means, though, that if you want an even bigger bonus next year, you need to skip out a lot less, Trunks. This is your heritage, got it?" her mom directed towards her brother, looking stern.

_As well as bribery and pride of heritage. Impressive_.

"Sure thing, Mom and congratulations," Trunks said, smiling. Vegita just snorted but he was smirking in a slightly pleased way.

"Aren't you going to congratulate me, Vegita?" _Kaa-san_ inquired archly, directing her attention to _Tou-san_.

"No," he replied succinctly but his eyes said otherwise. Their gazes locked a bit longer than necessary and the atmosphere in the dining room became a bit steamier than Bra felt comfortable with. _Jeez, we get it. You guys still have sex, now cut it out_, Bra wanted to shout out.

"Ahem," Trunks finally coughed, breaking the spell, right before Bra did. Her mom was blushing slightly and she sat back down.

"Well, let's keep eating before it gets cold!"

Bra smirked and Trunks shook his head. Dad scowled. Everything was as usual.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Anyway, she ended up telling me the whole story of what happened with her and Yamcha. Isn't it awesome? Our secret will be safe for a bit longer," she giggled, balancing a shopping bag in each hand and her cell between her shoulder and ear. She had completely forgotten her Bluetooth. Bra wished she could just levitate the bags with her ki and have them follow her but she didn't want to look like a freak in public and possibly get photographed.

"You did keep at least a copy of the magazine, right?" Goten inquired, clearly diverted by the whole situation and not at all worried about their near discovery. The thought made Bra feel nervous and elated at the same time.

"Of course. We should read it together and make fun of it. What are you doing tonight?" asked Bra, switching her cell to her other ear.

"Nothing much. After I get off work I have an errand to run and then I'm going home. Why?"

"Well, I want to do something for you I have never done for a man before," Bra teased.

Goten chuckled. "Really?"

"Yes, really. And you might not survive. Are you up for a challenge?"

"Sure," he retorted, laughing. "What is it?"

"I am going to cook for you," Bra said.

Goten almost chocked with laughter. "Oh man, this is going to be great. I got chicken and pasta and other stuff in my house. Want to do it there?"

Bra hesitated at that but she berated herself. There was nothing to be afraid of. Not even her own uncontrollable lust. She could control herself if they were all alone in his house. With a big bed nearby. "Sure. What time should I be there?"

"Don't begin cooking without me. I should be home around 7:30 p.m."

"Okay, 7:30 it is."

After finishing off her shopping, Bra had more than enough time to get ready. She dressed in Gucci jeans and a sparkly purple Calvin Klein sweater she'd just purchased. Autumn was slowly turning into winter and it was getting pretty cold. She drove to Goten's and got there exactly at 7:30. Goten had told her he always left a key underneath the welcome rug and had given her permission to come in anytime, even if he wasn't home. Not a very safe thing to do, but quite convenient if you kept losing your keys like Goten always did.

Letting herself in, Bra was vastly amused at how neat and orderly everything was. The kitchen counters were polished. The living room was spotless. The green couch and equally green easy chair were well kept and aligned perfectly towards the big screen TV, which was gleaming and free of any dust or fingerprints on the screen. There were no magazines lying around, no nasty, sweaty T-shirts tossed behind the chairs in the living room, no dust, no garbage peaking out. She dared not go into his room -she did not want to invade his privacy- but she was sure the bed was made and the carpet was just as recently vacuumed. She would have never suspected this was a bachelor's home. Really, Chichi had done a splendid job raising him.

Grinning to herself, Bra sat down on the couch and found the remote on the end table. Wow, she couldn't even find her remote in her room most times. Turning on the TV, she found a great show in the History channel about mummies and settled down to wait for Goten.

Half an hour later, Bra began getting a bit exasperated. It was already eight. She decided it was time to try and give him a call. She hadn't wanted to be all picky about punctuality but half an hour was half an hour.

Bra got her cell phone and pressed three for speed dialing. After five rings she got his answering machine. Baffled, she debated against trying again. She didn't want to seem like some psycho, calling him a bunch of times. Finally, she decided one more call -in case he had to work late and hadn't heard the phone- could never be considered psycho.

Nothing. How bizare.

Resolving to calm down, she took deep breaths to keep from getting pissed. It was okay. He would be late and have a perfectly good explanation.

Another half an hour went by.

Then another.

And yet one more.

It was 9:30 p.m. and Bra was beyond pissed. She was entering the enraged region. How dare he stand her up like this? He was nuts if he thought she was going to just sit and take that. _Hell_ no! She was going to leave right this second. It was bad enough she had actually waited for two hours; he didn't have to know about it!

Huffing, she took her purse and her light jacket. She turned off the TV and all the lights and then wondered why she was being so nice anyway. The jerk. Insensitive _baka_.

Before she could continue cursing him with more imaginative words, she heard the door turn. Oh crap. It was Goten. She could feel him. Her enraged mood turned into a dark, broody, stormy one. She was no longer mad at him; she just felt a helplessness and disappointment she couldn't shake.

She just stood there and watched Goten open the door and let himself in. He slammed it shut and, scowling darkly; then he faced his own living room and stopped dead on his tracks.

"Oh, I…" he stammered, growing red in the face.

"Yes, it's me. Bra. Remember? 7:30. Here?" she gesticulated wildly around the house, blushing with anger.

"Look, I can explain… the little thing I had to do after work… I had to go to my mother's, and my father was there and…" he trailed off, adverting his gaze.

Bra examined him closely and realized how very distraught he was. Distraught enough to forget their date. He was still a jerk but she did want to hear what had happened.

"Okay, this is going to be a long night. I'll make some coffee. Sit," she ordered, taking him by the hand and practically shoving him onto the couch.

She went to the kitchen and got the coffee started, turning back every couple of seconds to watch Goten. The bar was facing the living room and she could see him just sitting there staring out into space.

_You poor man. What happened at your house? _she wondered, walking back beside him.

"So, what happened?" Bra finally said after a long silence.

"I got into an argument with my parents and I called my dad an insensitive _bakayarou_," he replied tonelessly, still staring into space.

Bra's mouth opened as she gasped slightly and she immediately pulled the easy chair right in front of him and sat down.

"Why did you say that?"

"Because it's the truth. He comes every few months and he thinks that's enough. My mother needs him."

"But your dad comes to town at least once a month," she reasoned.

"Really? How do you know that?" Goten asked, looking away.

"Because he comes to train with my dad, that's why," she answered.

"Well, that doesn't mean he comes to see my mom every month or so," he started, his expression thunderous. "Ever since he left off with Uub, he has never come home to live permanently. Oh sure, a couple of years ago he stayed like four months. Last year he stayed one. But he is always off, searching for promising talent, training strong warriors, saving other planets and all that crap. Yeah my dad's a big hero, big whoop... what about his family, huh? Gohan and I are fine; at least he waited till we were both adults to leave, but what about Mom, huh? Fortunately, he is finally making some money and sending some to my mom. That is why I finally moved out, because I was sure that at least for a while, my mother could support herself and not break down."

"Break down?" Bra asked softly.

"Yes. Break down. She suffers from clinical depression. She has already tried to kill herself twice. Two years ago she finally became stable and that's when I moved," Goten explained, still not meeting Bra's eyes. "She also made me promise her I wouldn't tell my dad and I didn't for a very long time. But tonight, I sort of did and my mom was beyond pissed at me."

Bra was shocked. Sure, she knew Chichi was often a bit depressed and not too stable, but she had no idea she had attempted to _end her own life_!

"So that is the reason you would never really stick to going to college and why you kept living with your mom for so long," Bra stated soberly, not being able to imagine how all this must have affected Goten's whole life.

Bra stood up from the easy chair and sat besides him. She had no idea if he would reject her hug or not in the state he was in, but she didn't care. She would try it anyway. Goten made it easy by just sitting there limply and not resisting her when she embraced him tightly.

With their arms wrapped around each other, Bra listened to the rest of his story.

"I hadn't expected for my dad to be there. My mom didn't have the decency of letting me know it was one of his visits as she usually does. I walked into the house and I immediately got mad. I don't know what came into me. I stood in the living room and began powering up. Dad came out, worried and not knowing what was going on. I told him, well, what I said, and he just acted confused and said he was sorry. He had no idea why I was upset but he still said he was sorry. Made me feel guilty as hell. Then Mom also showed up and started screaming at me. I didn't say much and left when she began crying."

Bra felt awful for Goten, but there was nothing she could really tell him. He had said something he shouldn't have to his dad. She knew where he was coming from but still; if she were either of his parents she would have been offended too. If _she_ had told such a thing to her father, he would have smacked her so hard and so fast she would have landed in Namek. It wasn't her place to judge Goten, though, so she just remained silent, hugging him. They held each other for a while until Goten pulled back, smiling. All of a sudden, her mood lifted too.

"Hey, I'm here all snuggling with a celebrity and I'm all moping about a stupid fight with my parents… come on, read me the article."

Bra laughed and rummaged into her jacket's huge pockets and unearthed the last copy of that week's Scandal magazine.

By the time she finished reading it, they were both practically rolling on the floor laughing.

"So, I chased the photographer and beat him up, huh?" said Goten.

"Yeah, you better be careful or his lawyers will come after you. Man, I bet they are good lawyers too. You know a paparazzi taking pictures of me has to have the best lawyers," said Bra, giggling.

"You are a celebrity, though, you dumped Johnny Krentz at club 5," Goten commented jokingly.

"Well," Bra began. "That's kinda true."

"Really?" Goten chocked out between guffaws.

"He was actually after my money. It seems he also wanted to be an actor, but no producer or director would give him a chance, since they didn't think he was actor material. A marginally talented singer, yes, but not an actor. He wanted me to finance his movie or something. I got so pissed I practically broke the whole bottle of wine on his head and left. The paparazzi didn't leave me alone for months after that little spectacle."

"Wow," Goten said. "I remember that but I didn't pay too much attention to it at the time… what about David Bugle?" asked Goten.

"Erm," Bra cleared her thought, blushing. "I did let him kiss me at a party. We didn't make out that much, though."

Bra could tell Goten was trying very, very hard not to feel intimidated by the fact she had dated Johnny Krentz, but it was tough. He'd just been screamed at by his mom and probably deemed her out of his league just because she'd dated some famous but idiotic guys.

Sensing how he was feeling, Bra cupped his jaw in both her hands and dragged his face forward until they were nose to nose. "Baby, you are a much better kisser than Johnny. Trust me, you'd blow him away to dust in a kissing contest," she affirmed silkily, kissing him deeply to prove her point.

A few minutes into the kiss, Bra sat across his lap to be even more comfortable, molding her body to his.

"Oh," Goten groaned as they kept kissing.

An annoying buzz began in Bra's ear but she ignored it, really getting into the spirit of the tongue-wrestling.

The buzzing continued, though and Goten seemed to also hear it because he fidgeted a bit.

Eventually, when it went on, both realized it was a cell phone.

"Oh crap, it's my cell phone. Hold on… Erm… It's your brother."

Both stayed silent for a couple of seconds until Goten said, "I'm not getting it."

"You should. You shouldn't break your routine or he'll suspect something," Bra urged.

Goten scowled and grabbed the cell phone, hitting the call button.

"Hey, old buddy, whatchadoing?" asked Goten.

He nodded for a minute and laughed, and they chatted for a little while. Meanwhile, Bra just sat there, staring at Goten, chewing her lip. Why had he scowled like that? And who else would find out about them next? And why did her brother keep interrupting them right when they were making out?

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

nani: what  
kaa-san: mom  
otou-san: father  
onna: woman  
bakayarou: asshole

_Author's notes:_ _I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	13. Secrets

**Just a Kiss****  
****By: ****Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 13: Secrets**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and Raditz Silver for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

Goten's face was flaming like a nervous teenager's. What was Trunks trying to do to him? The conversation had started fine enough, but now he had turned skeptical, asking where he was, a suspicious tone in his voice. Trunks had every right to be wary and Goten really wished he could just tell him what was going. Bra didn't want to do it yet, however, and he had to admit he was a bit afraid of facing his best friend with such news.

_Hey Trunks, you know your little sister? We're dating and I've been having some very perverted thoughts about her and I think it's just a matter of time before they become more than thoughts._

No thanks. He liked being alive.

"Where are you?" asked Trunks.

"I'm home. What about you?" Goten said, trying to steer the conversation towards him.

"I'm still at work, backed up with paper work. Do you know where Bra is?" inquired Trunks again.

"Nope, no idea," Goten lied. He was a pretty good liar when he wanted to be, although he didn't like doing it. It was a bit trickier lying to Trunks, though. Trunks knew him pretty well.

"So she's not over there? I wanted to ask her something about the Sony account she's been working with Mom, but she's nowhere to be found. Her cell phone is off, and I can't feel her ki at Pan's or Marron's or at school," Trunks told him.

"Nope, she's not here," Goten lied, gritting his teeth and glancing over at Bra, who was staring at him with big eyes. Bra had been getting quite good at repressing her ki, and with good reason…

"Are you sure?" he asked yet again.

"Why would she be here?" said Goten. Asking a rhetorical question wasn't lying, right?

"Okay, fine, if you say she's not there, she's not there," Trunks said a bit sourly, and Goten could almost see him scowling. "I guess I'll call you later." With that, Trunks hung up.

"What did my brother say?" Bra queried, her eyes still overly big.

"He asked me if I knew where you were. I had to lie to him," Goten replied, frowning a bit.

"I see," she said, her expression deeply regretful and concerned. "I'm sorry about this… It's just that I don't think we should tell him yet…" she trailed off, noticing Goten hadn't stopped frowning.

"I understand," he muttered, not appearing like he understood at all. Bra decided to just drop it for the moment. She also determined that it was a good moment to leave. If he was in a bad mood because he had been forced to lie it was better to leave before they could get in a full-fledged argument.

This was a testament to the fact Bra was maturing. A year ago, perhaps even as little as six months ago, she would have stayed and demanded to know what had crawled up his butt and thus would have started an argument. She did not desire to cause conflict anymore, at least not with Goten.

"Goten, it's late and I should be going home. Let me know how it goes with your parents."

Goten nodded but said nothing further. Sighing, Bra stood up. She straightened up her clothes and picked up her copy of _Scandal_ magazine.

"I guess we can do this whole cooking thing another day, right?" Bra inquired, looking a bit like a wounded puppy, her eyes wide, and her lips pouting.

Goten rose to face her, smiling slightly.

"Come here, babe… I'm not mad at you, I'm just a bit frustrated," he admitted, taking her into his arms.

"I know, me too," she said, snuggling up to him. "In more ways than one."

Goten snorted with laughter and hugged her hard. "Oh well, I guess we can leave it for another day. It's pretty late already and I should call my mom and see how she's doing. Hopefully she's cooled off enough to talk to me."

Bra nodded, kissed him briefly and picked up her jacket.

"Call me tomorrow," she practically demanded. Playfully, she blew him a kiss and opened the door.

Once she was outside, she breathed deeply, trying to calm her nerves. She was very pleased at herself. If she had lost her temper or gotten all bitchy about his frowning, the evening would have probably ended a lot worse.

The next day, however, Bra realized Marron wasn't so proud of her.

Bra had called her blonde friend to chat and to catch up with her on all the latest occurrences. Even though Marron was seven years older than her and treated her like a little sister quite a bit, she was one of Bra's best friends. They were very fond of each other and tolerated each other's idiosyncrasies. However, that didn't prevent Bra from getting annoyed when Marron got all sisterly with her.

"Are you sure you know what you are doing?" Marron asked in her I'm-the-grownup voice.

"Not really, but who cares? I thought you told me to give it a chance before," Bra snapped back peevishly.

"I am the first one to admit what a sweet guy Goten is. He is _kawaii_ and yes, fine, he is pretty hot. But he's way too charming. I'm sure that without meaning to, he's broken lots of hearts," Marron elaborated, an anxious tone in her voice.

Bra rolled her eyes and tried really hard to understand that Marron simply wanted the best for her. "I know that. That doesn't mean he's going to break _my_ heart too. I have also broken lots of hearts without meaning to… you know that."

"Yes but you seem to be _specially_ vulnerable in this case. You guys haven't actually argued once! You are holding back big time on your usual temper and that shows me you are trying extra hard to make it work," said Marron.

"Yes but I am just trying to be mature in this case. I really like him Marron. I really, really do," Bra countered.

Marron sighed and Bra grinned. She knew how much Marron worried about Pan and her. It was cute really and she usually gave very good advice.

"Bra, can you even tell me what exactly you guys have in common?"

"Sure I can…" Bra started. "We are both half Saiya-jin, we've had difficulty finding the right person, are very attractive and well, in one word, hot. We really like dancing and going out. That may seem not seem very important but trust me; I've had problems with that before when my boyfriend would rather just stay home watching a movie most weekends. _Boring_! What else… We have a great fashion sense, we both like the beach and working out and blue. Blue is our favorite color. We also love rock. We can talk about everything even if we don't agree. It's fun to debate with him. See? We both enjoy debating. We're both very educated because of our mothers made us study so hard in school. However, we seem empty-headed to others just because we choose to be perky and relaxed, instead of rubbing our intelligence into everyone's faces."

Bra paused to draw in a breath and Marron laughed, cutting her off before she could continue.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Maybe you guys _are_ compatible. But having things in common and lots of chemistry does not necessarily mean everything will be fine. You guys do come from totally different backgrounds. I would also like to mention the big age difference. And the fact that both of your families are connected in several ways, well, blows to tell you the truth. It helps some relationships but destroys others. Families can be pesky things."

Bra sighed. What Marron was stating was simply realistic.

"What you are saying is true, but I just really, really do want to give this a chance. I like him so, so much. Besides, the age thing is not as much as a problem as it would be with humans because we Saiya-jins age slower. I mean, look at him, he barely looks old enough to drink and I still look fifteen. There's so much passion between us and I just won't let go of that without a fight. I have doubts but I don't care," Bra said decisively.

Marron chuckled. "Well, girl, if you feel so strongly about it, then I do think this has a chance to work out between you two. You usually get what you want."

Bra smiled at that and instantly felt a lot better, even after all the warnings Marron had given her. Sure, she preferred Pan's squeaking and encouragement but who was she kidding, Marron was being a lot more pragmatic and helpful in these serious situations.

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Goten and Bra ended up going to a Hockey game Saturday night. Bra knew Goten loved Hockey and had heard him saying a while back that he would love to score tickets for the season's most important match between two great teams but couldn't afford them. Bra didn't remember the names of the teams and had no idea how Hockey was played anyhow. In fact, Bra knew absolutely nothing about any sports but martial arts -and many considered it not to be a sport but a way of life- but she still managed to score the tickets. All she had to do was call one of her mom's commodity brokers and it was all set.

Goten's reaction had been hilarious and so _kawaii_. He had called her so they could hang out and his plans had been to go to a water park that day. Bra had told him she had to hang out with Pan and some other friends so she wouldn't be able to go. Pan and Ben were in the middle of a huge spat over an ex-girlfriend who wouldn't leave him alone. The little witch showed up everywhere they did and he never seemed to get too upset about it and didn't even try to stop her. Apparently the ex was going to be present at the outing so she needed to be there with Pan for support. They were planning on sending the girl dirty looks and if that didn't work, a few choice words would send the rumor mill into a frenzy.

However, she did tell her boyfriend she had something to show him that night, which led to a hilarious double entrée conversation led by Goten.

When Goten showed up at her window that evening as usual, Bra was holding the tickets in her hands, a huge grin on her face. Goten's eyes had popped out in shock and amazement. He got so excited he almost fell to the ground. Then he scrambled back to her window, shot into her room and gave her the biggest kiss in the whole world. He had almost swallowed her whole. Bra barely survived the whole experience and he had been as happy as a Saiya-jin in the middle of a battle as he sat in their private cubicle at the game. He had watched the game with his nose practically pressed to the thick glass while Bra had been bored almost to tears by all the shuffling around. Still, it had been worth it to see him so happy.

After the match, they ate out and finally, around two in the morning, they went home to sleep. As soon as Bra walked into her room she noticed she had a message in her answering machine. Playing it, she heard:

"Hey Bra, it's me, Olga."

Bra squealed in happiness. Olga had been one of her close friends in high school. She had been an actress who had already participated in dozens of TV commercials, had had cameos in a couple of sitcoms and had even had very small roles in a couple of blockbuster movies before she graduated. Bra knew that her first big movie was coming out, a flick in which she would be the lead actress. The critics were ready to pounce on it, of course, but Bra hoped it would be a success. Olga was a great girl and in her opinion, an awesome actress too. Her tumbling black hair, huge green eyes and curvaceous body had propelled her career but her talent was what would make it continue.

"I saw that article written on your family in the Forbes mag. Great pics! All of you are so photogenic. Too bad your brother is taken for the moment… are you sure you still want to be a fashion designer? You could make big bucks being a model and eventually you could get into TV and movies…"

Bra smiled to herself. Olga and several of her other friends had always encouraged her to be a model. She had done a fair share of modeling but she really had no inclination to make that her career. Besides, her height of 5'2" prevented her from getting the best gigs.

"Anyhow, the reason why I am calling you is 'cause I wanted to invite you personally to the premiere of my movie and to the big bash afterwards. It's a very private party but I wanted you and your date to go. Maybe you could get your brother to go too… but by himself." Olga giggled and Bra grinned. Her friend was incorrigible.

"So give me a call back. I would like for us to catch up, it's been what… a year and a half since we graduated? Wow. I will give you my personal cell phone number. This is a very special number Bra. Don't be handing it to Cynthia or Masako or Natalia or any of those little bitches from our ex-group. They are all dead to me."

Bra shook her head. No wonder Olga was an actress. She could be so dramatic! Bra saved Olga's number in her cell phone and decided to call her tomorrow to give Olga her own number.

Thinking no further about the invitation for the moment -after all, she did have almost a month to shop for a dress- she dropped off to dreamland.

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Almost a whole week went by that Goten and Bra didn't see each other at all. All of a sudden they both became so busy it turned out to be impossible to meet for five full days. Bra had a test or a term paper for every one of her four classes. Goten was dealing with the pesky matter of her mother's will. For some reason, she wanted him present in every one of the meetings she had with her lawyer. So when Bra had been off from studying for an hour Monday afternoon, Goten was at a lawyer meeting. When Goten had an evening free on Tuesday, Bra had been helping her mom out again with the presentation for Sony.

Trunks and Pan interfered too. Wednesday night they could've seen each other but Trunks decided he wanted to play hockey and Pan had called Bra about some problems she'd had with her boyfriend and had proceeded to tie her down to the phone for hours. At least they had both been busy that night.

Thursday evening Bra had had to get together with some of her classmates after class for a project and Goten had just stayed home and watched an action flick. By the time they finally had a chance to talk, both of them had been in bed wearing their pajamas.

Friday night was especially frustrating. They had been making plans to meet when at the last minute, Chichi had practically demanded Goten to go out to dinner with his father. Surprisingly, Goku had stayed a whole week already. Who knew, maybe he'd stay one more. While wolfing down their meals at a place that served the biggest steaks in all of Satan City, Goku informed Goten he didn't have anything to do for at least two more weeks so he was going to be around. Goten merely replied that he was containing his urge to get his pompons and cheer. Goku hadn't appreciated the irony and had simply smiled.

That night Bra ended up going dancing with Pan, who was fighting yet again with her boyfriend. Bra lent her a sympathetic ear and they cursed all men.

What Goten and Bra did do a LOT of during those five days was talk on the phone. They chatted for hours and hours. Bra had already gone over her cell minutes but she didn't care -obviously _she_ could afford it- although she was worried about Goten's future bill.

At long last, they were able to see each other Saturday. It was their two-week anniversary and Bra had gotten her mom to let her use one of C.C.'s private planes for their outing.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Goten said, an awed tone in his voice. Bra grinned triumphantly. "I told you I had something special planned."

A sleek silver plane was parked right in front of his eyes. Bra hadn't wanted to tell him where they were going. The drive hadn't been too long, since C.C.'s private airport wasn't too far from the main offices.

"Yep, and I can pilot it too. I got a license a year and a half ago when I turned eighteen."

"Something else I didn't know about you," Goten teased, twirling her around in a circle.

"But I'm not going to pilot it today. It'll be boring for you since I would have to be paying attention to the controls," Bra said saucily as she pointed at the pilot coming down from the plane. He was dressed in an impeccable blue pilot's uniform. He also had flawless manners, for he greeted them with a little bow.

"I've never fooled around in a plane before," Goten whispered into her ear as they boarded the flying vehicle.

"There's a first time for everything," Bra whispered back, giggling when he nibbled on her earlobe.

They flew around for a couple of hours, necking several thousand feet over the ground. Goten was enjoying himself very much. He was a simple man that had been raised out in the forest, but this was addictive; he wouldn't mind being rich himself and having access to all this luxury.

They landed on a small village about 3,000 miles away from Satan city. It was a quite sleepy place and it also sported the tallest viewing spot in the state. The plane dropped them off at the peak and then took off since it couldn't land anywhere near. The pilot would pick them up whenever Bra called him back.

Bra produced a huge picnic basket that she had brought along. From it she produced a bottle of Champagne, a couple of shrimp platters, French bread, Foie Gras and a caramel cake.

"Yummm… you really do know the way to a man's heart, Bra," Goten joked as he dug into the snacks.

Bra blushed furiously and turned away from Goten before he could notice her reaction to his words. Yes, she was trying to take over Goten's heart but she didn't want him to know that he already owned hers.

She loved Goten. It hadn't come to her as a flashy revelation. It had always been there in the background and now she was irrevocably certain of it. Before it had been a childish crush then it became a girlish infatuation. Now she adored him with her all her grownup heart.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Goten asked her, his eyes troubled. The concerned image was marred by the fact his chin was decorated with caramel from the piece of cake he had just gobbled up.

Bra smiled and nodded. "Of course everything's fine. Why do you ask?"

Goten frowned. "I don't know. I just had this feeling for a moment, that everything was not fine. Heh, sorry about that; I must sound silly to you."

Bra grinned and leaned closer to him. "You don't sound silly but you do look it."

She kissed his chin, transferring most of the caramel to her lips.

"How do I look?" she asked, pursing her caramel laden lips.

Goten laughed and gathered her close.

"Hmmm... let me taste it. Delicious," he declared as he kissed her.

"Same here," she told him breathlessly as they continued joining lips and sharing caresses.

A while later, they finally finished their meal and settled down to watch the sun set. It was magnificent. The sky changed from yellowish to orange to muted tones of dark blue and purple until finally the moon emerged, followed by the stars.

"Do we have to go back?" Goten mused wistfully. He rolled a bit to the side and supported the weight of his chest on his elbows to be able to gaze at her. She was laying down facing the sky just as he had been a moment ago.

"Unfortunately, yes," Bra replied, rolling on her stomach and turning towards him.

"Oh well, all good things must come to an end," he added glumly, looking up at the star dotted sky again.

She laughed and rolled back. They star-gazed for another hour until it was pretty late and she decided to call their pilot.

When the plane swooped down and dropped the rope stairs, Bra decided this would be a great opportunity to find out what would be the perfect vehicle for Goten. She was itching to give him a great gift but she hadn't been able to find out what exactly would be his dream car.

"What's your favorite car?" asked Bra, glancing sideways at Goten who was seated next to her on the leather seats, eating yet again. It was peanuts this time.

Immediately his eyes sparkled.

"I would love to have a Hummer. They are the bomb," he enthused and continued to expound on it's virtues until Bra giggled and told him he was being obsessive.

When the evening was over they parted unwillingly. Once in her room, she ran to her computer and searched online for Hummers. She smiled when found one she particularly liked in a nearby dealer. She could totally picture Goten in the army-like wide wagon vehicle. It was dangerous, sporty, unusual and big. Just like him.

Bra decided to would buy it on the spot and have it delivered to Goten's doorstep. She could imagine his face and reaction already. He would probably crush her to death in his enthusiasm but it would be worth it.

Humming to herself, she typed her credit card number -which she knew by heart- and made the large purchase. It would barely make a dent on her monthly allowance.

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Wednesday afternoon, Bra was about to jump out of her skin. She had confirmed and double confirmed the vehicle would be delivered that day at noon. She was very nervous for some reason. After all, given expensive gifts before; it was her privilege for being wealthy. For instance, she'd purchased a condo for her ex-fiancée Hiroshi, which he still owned. She'd bought Pan's prom designer dress and accessories and had taken her on several expensive trips. She had bought several designer suits for Trunks partly as a joke and partly to stop her mom's bitching. Marron had been signing over an exquisite four poster bed with Egyptian cotton sheets but hadn't been able to afford it and Bra had bought it for her as her engagement present. The engagement had been broken but Marron had kept the bed.

Somehow, this was different though. It was a gift from her very heart. She really wanted him to have it because it suited him and she desired giving him something nice. Every time he would drive that car, he would think about her. Hopefully, he wouldn't think it was too much and feel weird about it.

Wringing her hands nervously, Bra decided to cut it off. She was usually extremely confident. Many of her acquaintances called her arrogant. This was a moment for that sort of confidence. If he felt she was wavering or indecisive when giving him the gift, the chances of him feeling awkward about it would obviously be higher.

Sighing, she settled to wait for Goten to come home for lunch when she would surprise him. She was going to have the car parked behind the house so he wouldn't see it right away. Grinning, she squatted besides the welcome rug to find his spare key and opened the front door of his house.

Gasping, Bra dropped the key to the floor. She was not alone in the house. There was someone else in the room. _Why didn't I feel her ki before? _she wondered, feeling like a complete fool.

The intruder had been comfortably seated on the living room couch watching TV. Her purple sandals were lying next to the end table. Her pretty and delicate bare feet were propped up on the coffee table and her long dark, wavy hair spilled over the back of the easy chair. Bra could tell the exact second when the young woman felt the door open because she flinched violently and faced towards the door, smiling.

"Oh," gasped Paris, scrambling to stand up, her smile dissolving.

"Yeah, double oh," Bra replied, in total shock. What did this mean? Was Goten cheating on her? Had this happened before? Did they usually have little lunch trysts while she was at college, oblivious that the one guy she had grown to trust after Hiroshi was stabbing her in the back with his ex-girlfriend?

Suddenly, the paralysis melted away in a wave of rage. Who the HELL did this _slut_ think she was, waiting for her boyfriend in his living room?

Flushing darkly, she advanced on the taller woman, her body already preparing itself to deliver _ASS kicking_ from here to Namek.

"_Matte_!" Paris shrieked, "I can explain!"

Bra glared at the brunet invader. "What the… what are you doing here?" She refused to lose dignity by cursing in front of this stupid skanky bimbo.

_At least she's not stupid_, Bra mused. She instantly recognized Bra's predatory and possessive expression.

"I… I swear this is the first time I've come here since our breakup… I had no idea you guys were going out," Paris pleaded, backing away another step. She didn't see the coffee table that was behind her and squeaked as she bumped into it hard, lost her balance and ended up sitting on it forcibly.

Bra had to hand it to her. At least her instincts were impeccable. Paris, Goten's ex, had realized a furious, jealous woman stood right in front of her.

"Why should I believe you?" Bra demanded, eyeing a wide-eyed Paris, crossing her arms and glaring dangerously.

Suddenly, she stood up and raised her chin, defiant but still scared. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"Then why are you in my boyfriend's house?" screamed Bra, getting into her face, hissing in anger. Surprisingly, Paris didn't push her away. She merely held her ground and her breath, staring into Bra's eyes.

"Please listen to me," the ex begged, trapped between the coffee table and Bra's surprisingly strong body.

"Fine," Bra replied, not moving an inch.

"You could back away a bit," Paris suggested shakily.

Bra snorted and did so. She sat down on the couch primly, crossing her arms and glaring. Paris remained standing up, almost shaking in fear.

"As you know, Goten and I broke up over six months ago," Paris started, her voice very shaky. "I bet you don't know much about our breakup. Do you?"

Bra shook her head and glowered. At this moment, she very much regretted the fact she hadn't pressed Goten for information about his past relationships. She hadn't though it necessary.

"Well," Paris continued as she started to pace back and forth on the spotless rug. "We had just gotten engaged before we broke up… but there were problems… my problems."

Paris signed and Bra leaned forward, very interested. Paris seemed so despondent and sincere she was beginning to feel sorry she had almost kicked her ass. Not _that_ sorry, though.

"I had a drinking problem… I have been in treatment ever since. His breaking up with me opened my eyes. I hadn't realized the seriousness of it until he told me he couldn't stand it anymore. At first it had been just a couple of drinks a day. Soon I was getting wasted almost every night. Goten was very nice about it and helpful but it didn't stop me from getting drunk all the time. I embarrassed him a couple of times, even in front of you guys."

Paris paused for a second and Bra remembered how everyone had started to hate her when she began acting so bitchy. No one had even imagined it was because she had been drunk.

"Goten said he loved me anyway and I got better for a little while. He proposed. I was so happy! As soon as I started the first preparations for the wedding, stress got me drinking again and this time Goten ended it."

"How come no one knew you were engaged?" Bra asked, a suspicious tone in her voice.

"Because of my parents." She signed again. "We were planning on eloping or a small wedding without my side of the family. They are all a bunch of wackos. We were going to wait till the last minute to tell people but it never happened." Paris sniffed and her eyes were over-bright. Bra had no idea what she would do if she began crying. What did one do in a situation like that?

"So you are in treatment at the moment?" Bra asked.

"Yes, I am doing a lot better now."

"And you came to ask Goten to take you back?" It more statement than question and Bra couldn't help but glare at Paris balefully.

"Well… yes and no. Part of my program is that I have to apologize to everyone I treated bad. It sounds silly but well… here I am."

"So you came to apologize? You could've left a note," cut in Bra, huffing.

"Yes, I could have but that wasn't the only reason. Yeah, maybe I wanted to find out if he wanted me back too but I knew he probably wouldn't. He totally didn't want to talk to me anymore after what happened. He wouldn't pick up my calls and told me he wanted nothing to do with me. We were together off and on for almost five years… I had a small hope that he'd changed his mind, but that was before realizing he's dating _you_ now," Paris declared, her face not giving away what way had she meant by that.

"What do you mean by that?" Bra asked, her temper rising like steam.

"Well, it was obvious there was something going on between you two. The way you looked at each other, it was enough to drive me mad. He always told me you were just his best friend's kid sister and that I was just over reacting and had too much imagination… but you certainly weren't a kid anymore and see, as soon as I was out of the picture, you pounced on right away, didn't you?" she spat.

"Hold on there for a second, Paris. First of all, it was _you_ I found here not the other way around. Secondly, I am sorry if you lost your chance with Goten but he is mine now. I never planned it. It just happened. But I am not letting him go now that I have him," Bra stated firmly, unwaveringly.

Paris signed and her spirit visibly deflated. "You are right. It's just… I can't believe I blew it this way. This sucks."

Bra signed too and crossed her arms. Her attitude towards Paris softened. She felt pity for the older woman. She had to admit Goten's ex-girlfriend had changed quite a bit from the bimbo she'd met over five years ago. Still, she blew her chance, and Goten was _hers_ now.

"Listen, Paris, don't be so hard on yourself. We all make mistakes. You'll bounce out of this one. After you deal with your problem I'm sure you'll find someone else."

Paris glanced up wearily. Her suspicion faded when she realized Bra was being sincere.

"I always liked you Bra. I am sorry I ruined everything. I considered you sort of like a sister in law… even though I had been suspicious of that spark between you too."

"Yeah, I liked you too, at the beginning, even though I had been secretly jealous of you and every other girl Goten dated."

Paris smiled weakly. "I guess it was meant to be between you two."

Bra smiled too but she could tell Paris was just putting up a front for her. Mentally shaking her head, she realized she was way _too_ nice. God knew she must have gotten it from her mother, because her dad would have kicked this chick's ass before she got a single word out. Or could it be Goten's recent influence? In any case, she grabbed her purse and took out a business card, handing it to Paris.

" 'Kawabata Yasunari, Licensed Therapist.'" Paris read. "What's this?"

"That's my therapist. He's great, a genius," replied Bra.

"Thanks but I can't afford a private therapist. I'm doing fine with the one from my insurance," said Paris, a masked-offended tone in her voice.

"I'm not trying to offend you, just to help you. I get therapy once a month myself. Therapy isn't for crazy people. We all have issues. And you can afford him now because I will pay for the bill. Just tell him I sent you and it will be dealt with."

Paris' eyes almost popped out. "What?!"

"I am offering you a gift, Paris. I feel guilty I have Goten now; I feel I should compensate you somehow. But it's not just that, I really do want to help you."

Paris looked into Bra's eyes for a couple of heartbeats and then grinned weakly.

"Okay, I will take the gift. I need all the help I can get."

Bra grinned back and then gasped when she heard a noise outside.

"Oh my God, it's Goten's car."

She dashed outside and gave the driver instructions to park it at the back. She signed a bunch of papers and hurriedly tipped the driver.

When she turned around to face Paris, she was gaping at her.

"_Nani_?" Bra asked peevishly.

"You're giving Goten that car?" Paris breathed, her mouth still slightly open.

Bra blushed a bit. "Yeah, so?"

"Nothing, it's just, wow… you are loaded, aren't you?" Paris stated.

For some reason, that comment bothered Bra. Quite a bit.

"Yes I am," she stated succinctly and whirled back to Goten's house. Paris followed her, a bit freaked.

"I…" she began but Bra cut her off. "Goten will be here any moment. I would prefer it if you left now," she demanded.

Paris sniffed and nodded. "I guess I got to realize when I've lost. After all, I am no competition for you."

Paris lowered her head and picked up her purple purse. It went with her purple sandals and purple blouse. Her jeans were so tight on her, the fabric looked like it was about to explode.

"By the way," Paris said as she dug through her purse for something. "Give this to Goten for me, _onegai_. Tell him thanks for not asking for it back but I wanted to give it back anyway." She handed Bra a small black velvet box. With that, she simply walked away, presumably to her car she had probably parked further along the road.

Bra waited until she couldn't see her anymore and opened the box. Her hands trembled in realization of what she held in her hands. When she opened it, she gasped. It was a beautiful square cut gold diamond ring, at least a carat in weight.

Sitting down hard on the couch, she stared at the ring. He had given her this gorgeous ring. He had actually asked her to marry him, even though she'd had a drinking problem. He hadn't even asked for it back. Did that mean that maybe he still loved Paris? That she was just the rebound girl?

Her head was spinning painfully and she could not believe this was happening.

Groaning, she realized Goten would be home any second. She had to pull herself together. She would deal with this later.

No sooner after she had stuffed the box into her purse, did she hear his car pulling up to the driveway.

She breathed in deeply and pasted a smile on her face.

Goten opened the door, and smiled. "I could feel your ki a mile away. What are you doing here, babe?" he asked her, grinning and giving her a big hug.

Bra grinned back, trying not to feel upset. He had this uncanny ability to read her mood she didn't want him exercising right now.

"Surprise!" she squeaked, smiling.

"Hmmm… are you here for the reason I hope?" he asked, a lewd smile on his lips.

"No, you pervert, _gomen_… I have something for you… an actual thing," she said, taking his hand. As soon as she did, her cell rang. She was about to ignore it but noticed it was a number she didn't have listed in her directory.

"That's weird," she remarked, taking the cell phone.

"What is it?" asked Goten, concerned.

"This number is familiar but I don't know whose is it, I don't have it saved," she explained as it rang two more times.

"Get it," he suggested, shrugging.

She did and immediately regretted it. No wonder the number was familiar.

"_Kanojo_ … long time no talk," intoned a too-smooth masculine voice.

Bra groaned.

"Don't call me that, I'm not your girl anymore. How did you get this number?" she demanded sharply.

"That is no way of greeting your ex-boyfriend," he replied, chuckling.

Bra's hand shook in rage. "Why are you calling me, Johnny?"

"That should be obvious… I just want to invite you to Olga's premiere. She wouldn't give me your number at first, but I persuaded her…"

Bra was about to hang up on him but was curious about something.

"Why are you doing this?" she inquired.

"Publicity, beautiful. The press speculating if we're back together. It would be great."

Bra closed her eyes and said, "Forget it. I'm not doing it. Don't call back or I'll slap a restraining order on you so quickly, your lawyer won't know what hit him. And if that doesn't work, I will sic my dad on you!"

She hung up the phone viciously and barely checked the impulse to slam it to the tiled floor. The nerve of that _bakayarou_!

"Bra, who was that?" asked Goten. She whirled towards him, smiling tensely.

"I'll tell you in a sec, first let me show you your gift."

Goten looked quite dubious but followed her.

He gasped when he saw the huge red Hummer with a purple bow on top parked behind his house.

"It's a Hummer," he whispered after a while. He then frowned, and shook his head.

"I can't accept this," he said regretfully.

"Yes you can. It's a gift. Please, Goten… take it…"

He grinned, "I might, if you tell me who called."

"Oh, it was nothing. Johnny wanted to invite me to Olga's premiere for publicity but I already decided to go with Trunks."

Goten's countenance was so confused Bra laughed. "Olga, the actress, invited me to the premiere of her movie and the party afterwards… Johnny, you know who Johnny is, just called me to try to invite me for publicity, the jerk."

Goten scowled very darkly and Bra's eyes widened. Had she said something wrong?

"Don't worry, I'm not going to go with him. I hadn't heard from him at all since we broke up, I swear." she said.

"I know… When did Olga call you?"

"A few days ago, why?"

"Why didn't you tell me about it?"

Bra shook her head and shrugged helplessly. "I thought we were keeping this secret?"

"No, _you_ are keeping it secret," stated Goten.

"But the whole world would see us together!" she exclaimed.

"So what?" he shot back.

"I thought we were waiting," she said.

"Waiting for what?" he asked.

"I don't know!" Bra screamed.

They both fell silent, she was breathing hard, he was a bit more controlled, but a vein pulsating in his temple let her know he was upset. Goten, upset? She almost never got to see him like this. Before the day he'd gotten mad at her for lying about the kiss, she couldn't remember the last time he'd been angry about anything. Even the few times that Trunks and Goten argued, he was always the one trying to keep it from getting out of control.

"So now I'm your secret boyfriend. You can give me cars but you can't take me to the premiere? Would you be embarrassed to show up with me?" he asked heatedly.

"_NANI_?!" she yelled. "What the HELL are you talking about? What does the car have to do with anything? How could I be embarrassed of you, you know this has nothing to do with that."

"I'm leaving," he declared, walking away.

"But this is your house!" she cried out following him hastily.

"I don't care," he muttered, not turning back.

"_Matte_!" Bra shrieked as she tried to keep up with him.

"No," he stated, turning back for a second. He then sighed and ran a hand through is already messy hair, looking regretful. "I need to leave right now, okay? My emotions have been out of control since the night we kissed and I don't know how to feel, what to do or… I just don't know what's going on anymore!"

With that outburst, he sprinted towards the entrance of his house. Bra stopped following him and watched as he took off from his yard, in plain sight of neighbors who could be walking by or looking through windows.

"Oh _kuso_," she uttered as she sat on the grass, feeling confused and perplexed.

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

kawaii: cute  
matte: wait  
nani: what  
onegai: please  
gomen: sorry  
kanojo: used by a male to refer to his girlfriend  
bakayarou: asshole  
kuso: crap (or worse), expletive

_Author's notes: __I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	14. Reconciliations

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 14: Reconciliations**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

_Warning, this chapter contains a bit of citrus (sexual content), but nothing too graphic..._

Bra sat there on the grass for a couple of minutes, stunned and baffled. She couldn't believe they'd just had their first fight. It felt awful, more than awful; devastating. She didn't want to argue with Goten and she couldn't fully understand why he was so upset.

They really liked each other and she had to admit to herself, there was a connection there that she suspected neither had ever felt before. Perhaps their feelings went deeper, but she wanted, needed time to find out. She knew she loved him but wasn't sure how deep _his_ feelings for her went. She was still scared, though and brimming with so many unanswered questions. Where was this leading? Once their family and friends found out, what would be their reaction? Would they be able to have a normal relationship? She then snorted at that thought. Normal? How could they be normal when they were half Saiya-jin?

Finally, Bra decided it was stupid to just sit there in front of his house sprawled on the front lawn in such an undignified manner. She needed to fix what had happened, but she didn't know how. She didn't even really comprehend what exactly was it that he wanted, why he'd gotten so pissed. Did he really desire to make this public when they were still figuring out what was going on? She had never felt so unbalanced, so in tune with another person, so vulnerable in all her short adventurous life.

It was frightening. Terrifying.

At the moment, Bra decided she needed to talk to a friend. Grabbing her cell phone, she pressed two in her speed-dial.

"Hey Bra, whatsup?"

As soon as Bra heard Pan's cheerful voice, she broke down. The situation was just too strange, too overwhelming. She started crying in earnest when Pan started asking what was wrong.

"Whoa, what happened, where are you?" Pan said, alarmed.

"I'm in front of G-G-Goten's house," Bra sobbed.

"Okay, stay there. I'll fly over, what the hell. My parents really need to buy me a car," she complained. Her car had completely broken down beyond repair a few months ago and she hadn't been able to get a new one. Bra could hear her opening and closing drawers. _I should have gotten a car for Pan instead,_ Bra mused.

She hung up on her best friend and attempted to clam down a little, entering Goten's 2/2 house to wait for Pan to arrive. Now she was embarrassed that she'd made her friend fly over, but really, she felt awful and really needed her here with her. She'd make it up for it. What a great friend Pan was, dropping everything at a moment's notice to come to her aid. Bra felt very grateful to have her in her life.

The Son girl got there less than ten minutes later, dressed in jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt, her hair in messy ponytail, probably made messier by the flight over. Pan immediately hugged her and Bra started crying a bit again.

"Okay, so what did my uncle do this time?"

Bra gave her a tremulous smile and related the latest events, including Paris' surprise appearance. Afterwards, Pan was silent for a bit, mulling everything over.

"Well, my first reaction would be to tell you that he overreacted. However, he _is_ my uncle and I do know him a bit. I can tell you that he's going through a lot right now. I've heard my parents talk about the situation between grandpa and him. He has become so resentful and grandpa's recent return has created tension between them all. Grandpa spent a lot more time with my dad when he was growing up, but Goten's childhood was harder. I'm sure you already know all this though." Pan smiled weakly and shrugged. "Also, it seems that this whole 'keeping it secret' thing is bothering him more than you thought and it just came out like that after finding out about the premier. As for Paris, they are obviously over and I really doubt he would take her back, especially now that he's with you."

"I suppose I shouldn't have bought him that car, I mean, jeez, we've been dating for almost three weeks and here I am, giving him a Hummer. What was I thinking?" Bra moaned, covering her face with her hands.

"Don't beat yourself over it, Bra. It's not your fault you are rich. If you guys are going to be together, he will have to learn how to deal with it. You are also going to have to figure out what you want," Pan concluded, sounding older than her 18 years. After all, she'd also had quite an adventurous childhood, more so than Bra.

"I'm frightened, Pan. I don't know what this is. It's not as simple as it's always been. I feel… I feel that if I were to lose him, I would also lose part of myself. I can't explain it, it's as if he's gotten inside my head," she complained, tapping her temple with her right index finger.

"Bra, isn't this what you always wanted? To find _The One_?" Pan inquired, her brows rising.

"_Hai_, and I also wanted Goten to notice me and now that he has, I'm freaking out like an idiot. Why am I so scared?" Bra's face was anguished and Pan's heart went out to her.

"I don't know, my friend. All I can tell you is that I really want to see you happy," she declared sincerely.

"Oh, you are such a good friend!" Bra exclaimed, throwing her arms around Pan.

"I know… I know," Pan murmured as she hugged Bra back and then chuckled.

"I think I want to stay here and wait until he comes back… if he decides to do so tonight," Bra told Pan, her eyes still wet.

"_Iie_, I think that you should give him a little bit of space now. Leave him a note somewhere where he will see it and go to your own bed. You need to sleep and we have classes tomorrow. He'll come around, I promise," Pan said, winking.

"I guess you're right." Bra then proceeded to hunt for paper and a pen and after several minutes of agonizing over it and a couple of drafts, she finally wrote down a semi-decent note.

_Goten, I am very sorry about our fight. I think we really need to talk and resolve things. You mean too much to me and we need to make this right. Please call me whenever you are ready._

_XOXO_

_Bra_

Pan glanced over at the note and nodded. "Looks good enough."

"Okay. Can we get something to eat? I'm starving," Bra grumbled while her stomach decided to also complain right at that moment. Being half Saiya-jin could certainly be annoying at times.

They both laughed and Pan said, "Yeah, sure, let's get a bite to eat."

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Oblivious to the events going on at his own house, Goten had decided to go to the gym to let out some steam. After half an hour of working out with the gym's equipment at the maximum weight, he decided that wasn't going to cut it. He was going to have to do some sparring and unfortunately, there weren't many candidates available. Trunks was out on a date, his brother wasn't home… Perhaps this would be a good chance to take up his father's offer of sparring any time he wanted. After all, who better to let out his frustration with?

He drove over his parent's house -his mom would be beyond pissed if he arrived flying- and was relieved to feel his dad's ki inside. He was afraid that he was going to have search for him.

His mother answered the door, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Oh Goten, it's so nice to see you here!" she said and Goten smiled sheepishly. His mom had always been quick to forgive him.

"_Arigatou_ K_aa-san_, I'm happy to see you too."

They hugged and she let him in. Goku was at the table eating up a storm and Chichi insisted he sit down to eat too and Goten was certainly not complaining.

"I think there might be enough if you don't over do it Goku-sa," _Kaa-san_ said, smiling brightly at his dad.

"Okay, Chichi." His mouth was full so the words came out muffled. Chichi frowned and _Tou-san_ closed his mouth and grinned.

Goten sat at the table and realized he was starving. Goku smiled at him as he ate with his mouth full and Goten couldn't help but smile back. _Maybe being so mad at him is not good for me_, Goten wondered and he kept eating his mom's wonderful food.

When they were all done, Chichi smiled at them and said, "Goten-kun, I think your dad has some things he needs to tell you. I will be in our room." She then glared pointedly at Goku, who immediately put his hand behind his head and grinned foolishly. Chichi just shook her head and retired to the back.

Goten waited till she was out of earshot and said, "Dad, you don't have to tell me anything just because Mom told you to."

"No Son, this is something that I should have done a long time ago. I think it's a good idea to talk. You wanna go outside?"

"Sure," Goten replied, sending his dad a surprised look, his thoughts of Bra and sparring forgotten for the moment.

They walked for a while among the forest that surrounded the cozy cottage Goten's parents lived at. They eventually located a spot to sit down close to the little river and stared at the running stream, its water crystalline and smooth.

Once relaxed, Goku faced Goten, took a deep breath and started talking. "Son, I know I haven't been the best dad or husband. I've always been so worried with the planet's safety and always getting stronger to save Chikyuu from well… all the bad guys that keep coming! Poor Gohan had to kill Perfect Cell and saw me die right in front of him. That's in part why I stayed dead for eight years. I felt I was the one who was always causing all this trouble... " Goku paused and peered up at the sky, as if trying to remember what else he needed to say. Goten remained silent, his eyes a bit wide.

"I could say that it wasn't my fault, that I always do my best and have helped save so many so many times, but… I love fighting. Your mom says it's in my blood 'cause I'm Saiya-jin. Not fighting for no reason, but to fight for those I love… to me that's the best thing _ever_. Chichi never liked it. She thought I was a bad influence on you two, and after I left to train Uub for a while... well, maybe you and your brother were better off without me. You have your mom and your friends and Gohan has Videl and Pan," his dad sighed and shook his head.

"I know you're mad at me for not being around so much. I'm sorry I didn't notice. Your mom told me a lot of things I haven't noticed. You've grown so much, changed so much that I… its difficult to explain… Last night your mom had a long talk with me. She wants me to be around more, no matter what, and I really do want to do it. I will try my hardest to not go off training someone even if I really, really want to... I want to be a better husband… and a better father."

Goten stared at his Goku, open-mouthed. _Wow, that's a lot of information to assimilate. I guess my tou-san is full of surprises._

Goten frowned a bit and looked away from his dad's earnest expression… could he try to understand? Somehow, he felt his dad wasn't telling him everything. Perhaps he also needed to have a talk with _Kaa-san_ but now… now perhaps was the moment to mend bridges with his father.

"_Tou-san_, it's true that I've been mad at you, and even though what you just told me explains a lot, it doesn't justify everything. I'm an adult now, with a life or my own but yes, you being away so much did affect us and it has _specially_ affected _Kaa-san_. If you want to stay more, that's not really up to me. I guess I just want you to be here for mom,"

Goku stared right into Goten's eyes. "I know, but I think that it's never too late. Being dead has taught me a lot, specially that life is too special to waste. Maybe I've been ignoring the most important thing, my family. Can we make peace?" Goku asked, his expression wide-eyed, earnest and innocent.

Goten smiled at his dad. How could he say no? "Sure, _Tou-san_, I guess I can at least do that."

They both stood at the same time and embraced. Goten buried his head in his Dad's shoulder, feeling the slight urge to cry. He hated being upset at his dad. For so long he had idolized him and he still loved him. Perhaps it was true. Maybe he was here to stay. Sitting down again after the long hug, they remained silent for a while.

Without warning, a very intense sadness invaded Goten's soul. He couldn't control it as tears started streaming down his cheeks and sobs started to shake his muscular frame.

"What's wrong?" his father cried out, his eyes wide and worried.

"It's not you _Tou-san_, I don't know what's wrong," Goten sputtered out between sobs. Slowly, the tears started pouring less until he was composed again.

Goku eyed him in alarm, "Son, what happened? Did our talk upset you that much? I didn't mean to make you sad."

"No Dad I just told you it wasn't you; I don't know what's going on with me lately. Recently, I've been feeling so very weird and switching emotions from one second to the next, as if someone else's feelings were invading my mind..." his words trailed as a realization struck him with the power of lightning.

_Oh my God, could it be?_ he asked himself. _Could this be related to Bra? But how? Why would I be feeling her feelings?_

"_Tou-san_, I really got to do something right now. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Thanks for the talk. I'll be by tomorrow to spar and we'll talk more." Goten said as he got up.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow then," a concerned Goku said.

Goten took off flying, forgetting about his car. He needed to see Bra. This instant. He concentrated on her ki and felt she was in her house, most likely in her room. As he closed into her location, he could sense more, like the fact she was very miserable and upset. He sighed, not knowing what he was going to do or say once he saw her. If she would even let him see her.

Hovering right outside her window, he tried to peer inside. She had drawn the curtains closed. He tapped on the glass, praying to _Dende_ she would let him in and not shut him out. A hand suddenly drew the curtain away and she appeared in front of him; Goten sighed in relief as she opened the window.

"Did you read my note?" she asked him, her eyes dry but puffy, her face a bit red.

"No, why, did you leave it at my place?" he said, landing in the middle of her room, glad and relieved she wasn't screaming at him, at least yet. She drew away from him a bit, a bit nervous, wearing a terry robe, her small, pretty feet bare.

"Yeah, I left you a note, saying I wanted to talk to you," she explained. He noticed her robe had gaped open a bit, revealing a tantalizing hint of pink lace, but he concentrated on fixing his gaze on her face. This wasn't the time to be thinking about _that_.

"Well, I just came from my dad's," he said and saw her eyes widen. "Something interesting is going on at my house, but I'll tell you about that later. Right now, I just want to talk about what happened earlier… _Gomen nasai_..."

"No, _I'm_ sorry," Bra interrupted, sitting on the corner of her bed. "I know this whole thing about keeping it secret is bothering you. I just want to do things right and I feel that everyone's going to get involved once they know before we get a chance to get it together."

Goten cut in, "I know that. I overreacted today. It shouldn't matter to me if you need more time. I know this is not easy... I've just been going through a lot of crap lately and..."

"I know," Bra murmured, "and I'm sorry about the car, I guess it was too much."

"No, well, I mean, yes but that didn't bother me. I know how generous you are and it did mean a lot to me that you gave me that, knowing how much I like it... It's just that yes, it is a bit weird that our economic statuses are so opposite," Goten expressed while he paced around the room a bit. _I wish I could express myself better_, he thought, sighing.

"Yes," Bra sighed. "I guess we got a lot to talk about... This is not that simple, is it?"

"_Iie_," Goten chuckled, "It isn't."

At that moment, Goten decided he was not going to tell Bra about his strange crying episode earlier and about his budding suspicions. He didn't want to freak her out even more than she already was. He felt uneasy himself. He needed time to think about it before telling _her_.

"Goten, I erm, ran into someone today," Bra said, obviously nervous all of a sudden.

"Yeah? Who?" he asked, wondering about the sudden change in the conversation's direction.

"Well, I let myself into your house to wait for you and give you the Hummer and erm… someone was already there."

"_Nani_?!" Goten exclaimed, standing right in front of Bra, his eyes huge.

"Yeah. Paris," Bra said, fixing her eyes on her clasped hands.

"Paris?!" Goten exclaimed again, taking a seat right next to Bra. She looked away, fidgeting.

"Yes. She told me everything about her drinking problems and your engagement... she even gave me this." Bra got up and went to her nightstand and opened the first drawer to the right. She took out the little black velvet box and gave it to a stunned Goten.

He stared at it as if could open up and bite him at any moment and then glanced up at Bra, who was chewing her lip.

"Oh crap... I'm sorry I didn't tell you before but I just didn't want to freak you out and it's over anyway," he sincerely disclosed, his eyes pained.

"Is it really over? She told me she was in some sort of program and that she wanted to apologize... is there any chance you would want her back?" she wondered softly, her back very straight, her eyes staring straight into his.

_So brave, so full of pride_, Goten mused, his heart bursting with love.

"No, no way. I did love her once but when the problems started, I stayed with her because I felt she needed me. We had been together so long… but I finally realized she needed to work out her problems by herself and by then, it was over," he explained.

"Are you sure? You don't love her anymore?" she tearfully asked, her eyes moist.

"No, I can't... because I love _you_."

Bra's eyes widened and her jaw went slack. She stared at him in complete shock, not moving a muscle.

Bra gasped. "You _love_ me?" she said tremulously, her eyes watering up.

"_Hai_. Yes I do."

Goten knew it was perhaps too soon for both of them but he didn't give a damn. That is the way he felt and he should've realized Bra was the one for him a long time ago. All those failed relationships were because he hadn't found his match, his half. And that missing part of him was Bra. He would do whatever it took to get her to realize it if she hadn't already.

"Oh my God," Bra breathed, gazing at him in wonder.

"It's the truth," he murmured as he slid closer to her. He cupped her cheeks and gave her a small kiss and smiled down at her.

"I... I... _Dende_ help me, I love you too!" she cried out grabbing two fistfuls of his T-shirt, kissing him hard. Goten responded in kind and soon their hands sliding over each other, exploring, reassuring, caressing, loving. Driving each other mad.

"I can't believe this," Bra puffed between wet, heated kisses.

"I can," Goten replied, grinning. His grin became feral as he started untying the sash of her robe.

"That feels _so_ good," she gasped, as his hand caressed her right breast over the silk of her nightgown.

"I know. It feels good for me too," he whispered into her ear as he kissed it. Bra pulled back, smirking and got a hold of the frilly hem of her nightgown and in one smooth movement, slid it up her body and tossed it over her head sensuously.

His mouth went dry as he noticed she was wearing nothing else but a pair of very skimpy silk pink panties. With a mischievous and almost evil smile, she rubbed her breasts against his chest and purred, "Speechless, Goten?"

He growled deep in his throat and flipped her over in a lighting-quick move, pinning her under his muscular body.

"Oh yes!" she groaned as he started sliding his hands all over her greedily.

Later, they were both too incoherent to be able to form any actual words, but a lot of groans, gasps, moans and growls were heard.

That night they told each other "I love you," dozens times and showed it to each other physically three times. Dawn came and both decided it was best if he left to his own house. No use in tempting fate.

Vegita would not appreciate it if he knew Goten had just made love to his precious baby princess right under his roof.

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

hai: yes  
arigatou: thanks  
kaa-san: mom  
tou-san: dad  
dende: Earth's current god or deity  
gomen nasai: very sorry  
nani: what

To be continued…

_Author's notes: Don't forget to review if you liked this chapie. Remember, the only way I can improve this fic or my writing is with your helpful suggestions. Let me know if you want to know when this fic will be updated in your review and leave your email address._


	15. Telling the Older Brother

**Just a Kiss**

**By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 15: Telling the Older Brother**

_Thank you Satu-D-2 and for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

_Warning, this chapter contains a bit of citrus (sexual content), but nothing too graphic..._

"Oh my God, I can't believe we are doing this," Bra exclaimed for the fourth or fifth time that day.

"What can't you believe?" breathed Goten with a wicked grin, desire personified. "That _we_ are having sex? That we're having sex in the middle of the day? That we're having sex in the middle of the day in one of your mom's deluxe capsule houses? That we are having sex..."

"_Yamero_!" Bra chortled between guffaws. "That's enough." Smirking widely, she eyed him through messy bangs. She had stopped trying to untangle her hair hours ago.

Right after he'd left her bed at dawn the night before, she had slept like the dead for a few hours. Invigorated once again, she woke up early in the morning and grabbed one of her mom's capsule houses, the nicest model available. She showed up at his doorstep in a black trench coat, red stilettos, and nothing else. Goten opened the door as soon as she landed -he had obviously felt her ki- and she had proceeded to give him a peek of her lack of clothes.

He had immediately yanked her into his house and taken her against the door, pounding away fiercely, just like she had needed it. Craved it like her next breath. After the quickie, they proceeded to blow their plans for the day -Bra's classes and Goten's work- and sequestered themselves in the house, doing nothing but exploring each other's bodies and taking small restroom breaks.

Bra had soon lost count of how many times she climaxed in his arms. No matter how long she lived or how many other experiences she would have, she would _never_ forget that first time with Goten. They were barely touching at the moment as the lied down together on his bed, but she could just close her eyes and feel him in her, on her, under her, discovering every single inch of her being. The connection she had sensed with him went so much deeper than just intense physical pleasure. She had also felt _his_ pleasure as if it had been her own, his ki had blended with hers in that beautiful moment when he first surged inside her. She attributed the mind-blowing experience to the fact that they were so compatible and he was so very skillful. Also, being able to control ki was a huge plus.

Bra sighed, musing about how gorgeous and amazing he was, in every way. She hadn't known it could be like that. It was as if two months of almost painful sexual tension had detonated inside them, making them insanely and insatiably hot for each other. They had barely gotten out of bed in eight hours and the marathon wasn't over yet. Being half Saiya-jin definitely had its advantages, like increased stamina and incredibly rapid healing of small abrasions.

When she opened her eyes, Bra realized Goten had been staring at her intently the whole time, smiling cheerfully and a bit smugly. She smiled back and snuggled up closer to him, not taking offense to his smugness. He had every right to feel _very_ proud of himself.

"I love you, Bra," he told her, burying his nose in her tangled mess of hair.

"I love you too, Goten," she replied, glorying in the words. _So this is how real love feels_, Bra mused; every single other feeling paled in comparison.

Goten kissed her, slowly exploring her mouth and she melted into the kiss, melding her body to his as if they had always meant to fit together. She could feel his heart beating against hers and the sexual energy that still coursed through both of them, like a flowing river of ki. After a while, he pulled back and smiled so widely, she laughed.

"_Nani_?"

"Oh, nothing," Goten answered, snickering a bit. "I just can't believe we're having sex in the middle of the day in one of your mom's deluxe capsule houses."

Bra grinned back. "Well, it is technically mine, since I am to inherit half the business one day."

Goten chuckled. "Yeah, sometimes I forget how very rich you are."

"Oh yeah? Well, you better not forget it," he retorted, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder. Sure, she was half Saiya-jin but she wasn't freaking _inexhaustible_. She did have her limits and she was still new at this. She wasn't a virgin but she had only gone to bed with Hiroshi a few times before everything blew over a year ago and really, this experience with Goten made her think she might as well have been a virgin. He had taught her more in a day than Hiroshi ever could in months, most likely.

All of a sudden, Goten's stomach emitted a loud grumbling noise and he blushed, looking at her sheepishly.

"I guess I'm hungry."

Bra giggled and sat up on the king size bed, gazing down at him. Abruptly, her stomach grumbled too and she giggled even harder.

"Okay, yes, we need to eat something."

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"No way!" Pan shrieked loudly, causing Bra to wince and pull away from her cell slightly.

"Yes way," she replied, sheepishly.

"Okay, I need details. _Now_!" demanded Pan.

"Alright, let's meet up in say, half an hour?"

"Okay."

Half an hour later, Bra was sitting on Pan's twin sized bed, blushing while Pan grilled incessantly her for minutiae.

"I don't care if he's my uncle. I haven't done it yet, although I think Ben and I are this close, and anything that makes you blush this very hard has to be _awesome_ as hell and I need to know _everything_," Pan ordered firmly.

"But I already told you everything when I was with Hiroshi."

"Pttt," her friend snorted. "That was obviously nothing in comparison to this. Now talk."

Bra exhaled noisily and proceeded to tell her as many particulars as she could without feeling like she was violating Goten's privacy. He probably suspected she was here with Pan anyway, knowing how eerily perspective he was and how well he knew her.

"So, what happens now? Are you going to finally tell people?" Pan wondered.

"Well, we didn't talk about that last night..." Bra started but Pan cut her off with, "Well, it sounds like there wasn't much talking, period."

Bra blushed again and Pan laughed at her. "Seriously, dude, I've never seen you so flustered!"

"Okay, enough already!" Bra complained, trying to frown but not succeeding. She hadn't been able to stop smiling and blushing all day.

"Hey, Dad told me Grandma is planning a family get-together next weekend. That would be the perfect moment to tell!" Pan said enthusiastically while her eyes still twinkled with mischief.

"I don't know if that's the best setting to do it, but I guess it would get it over with easier. Oh God, I just wish we didn't have to deal with that yet," Bra complained.

Pan's eyes widened and she snapped her fingers. "Oh, by the way, before you started telling me about your steamy romp, I was going to let you know that Trunks totally gave me the third degree yesterday while we were sparring."

"_Nani_? What did he ask you?" Bra's expression had gone from slightly worried to panicked in a split second.

"He asked me if I thought anything was happening between you guys. When I tried changing the subject, he asked me straight up if I knew anything..." she trailed off, glancing at Bra with worried eyes.

"Yes, and?"

"And," Pan continued, "I told him that it wasn't me he should be asking."

Bra groaned and closed her eyes. "Great, you might as well had just gone ahead and told him. Jeez, Pan."

"Well, what was I supposed to do? You know how he is. He kept at it and was piercing me with those freaky I-can-read-your-mind eyes and I didn't know what to do."

Bra sighed. "I guess it's for the best. I know Goten really wants to tell him. He feels guilty about it, my brother being his best friends and all. Oh _Dende_, this is going to be _awkward_!"

"Yeah," Pan agreed. "I know I would feel guilty if I were hiding the fact I was dating Trunks from you."

Bra's eyes snapped back to Pan's, widening in astonishment and Pan guffawed out loud, pointing at her in hilarity then punching her own thigh as she continued laughing.

"Just kidding!"

"Oh, I swear, you... you..."

They started laughing together so hard they were both gasping for breath when they finally calmed down.

"I guess the sooner the better, huh?" Bra finally managed to get out after regulating her breath.

"If it's any consolation, I think he's going to take it fine," Pan told her sympathetically.

"I really hope so."

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Goten hadn't felt this nervous in a very long time. He kept glancing at Bra, searching for signs of panic but saw none. Yes, he could feel how nervous she was, but she was holding up fine. This gave him a lot of hope for the future because if she were freaking out badly about telling her brother, imagine how would it be when he told her about the weird, unexplainable stuff that was going on?

Making love to Bra the day before had been an extraordinary event for him. _She_ didn't have enough experience to know this, but he knew it wasn't supposed to be that good. It had never been like that before, _ever_. It's as if they had been able to read each other's minds, giving each other exactly what they wanted at the precise moment they needed it. They'd been linked at a deeper level that he had ever experienced. He shivered slightly, just recalling the first indescribable moment he had finally been inside her.

Eying Bra again, he shook his head, trying to focus. He had called Trunks and asked him to meet him for dinner at a restaurant close to C.C. Trunks didn't suspect anything and why should he? Goten had acted as normal as you please and it wasn't rare for them to eat dinner together after work if they happened to get out at the same time. Turning towards his girlfriend, he smiled at her and said, "We're almost there."

"Cool," she replied then turned more fully towards him. "Babe, I think I should do all the talking. After all, I've been the one asking you not to tell."

Goten searched her expression and then nodded. He could feel she was okay with it, so he would respect her decision. If it came down to it, he would intervene because he didn't want her to get hurt. He knew Trunks and his temper. He could be quite hurtful when he wanted to be. The restaurant loomed in the distance and Goten spotted it. When he reached the parking lot, he parked his new Hummer with care. Something else he'd been keeping from Trunks, who hadn't seen it yet. He sighed agitatedly as he got out of the car and opened the passenger door for Bra. Everything would be fine. It had to be.

They asked for a table for three and he followed Bra, not being able to resist staring at her ass. It was a _very_ nice one, very round, firm and infinitely grabable. At the moment, it was clad in jeans that looked like they had been spray painted on her buttocks. They sat at the table and Bra proceeded to start wriggling her hands. Goten took them in his gently and smiled at her reassuringly, repeating what he had been telling himself. "Everything's going to be fine."

Bra raised her troubled eyes to his. "If your friendship with Trunks was affected by this, I would never be able to forgive myself."

Goten shook his head, "Maybe I should have done this by myself…"

"Don't say that," Bra retorted, her eyes flashing. "Aren't we in this together?"

At that, he beamed. "Yes, you're right. We are."

"Of course I am," she snorted and he snickered in response.

They held hands and just sat next to each other for a while, a companionable but tense silence flowing over them.

"He's here," Bra whispered a couple of minutes later. She had been facing the door so she was the first to see Trunks walking into the restaurant. Swallowing, she sent Goten a worried look. Even though he was edgy too, he smiled at her reassuringly once again.

As Trunks approached, Goten immediately saw the way his eyes flickered to Bra uncertainly and then back to his, questioningly. Goten smiled as he got close enough to be able to speak.

"Hey, how's it going?" Trunks greeted, taking a seat next to Goten, facing his baby sister. He was wearing a dark blue, expensive looking suite and a crisp white shirt. He had already ditched the tie. Suddenly, Goten had the absurd feeling he should have dressed up for the meeting. Instead, he was wearing jeans and a v-neck sweater. Trunks cocked his head and Bra smiled at him tremulously and he frowned ever so slightly, "I didn't know you were joining us for dinner."

"Yeah, I decided to join you guys," was all Bra communicated at the moment, her eyes moving back and forth between her brother and her lover.

Trunks frowned a bit deeper now and turned to face Goten. "So what's going on?" he eventually inquired. Goten didn't know what to make of the frown and he couldn't take the tension anymore. He was about to just blurt it out himself, just to get it over with.

"Trunks, Goten and I have something to tell you," Bra put in, her expression serious.

a Trunk's eyebrows went up as high as they could. "You _and_Goten?"

She smiled at Goten and took his hand that had been resting on the table. He clasped the offered limb and then she then directed her attention to her brother.

"Trunks, Goten and I are together."

Trunks' eyes widened, as he took in the scene. Goten tensed, uncertain of what to expect. His best friend just kept staring at them for a few seconds more before saying in an odd squeaky voice, "Together, _together_?"

"_Hai_," Bra replied firmly.

He shook his head and Goten could tell he was bewildered.

"I guess in a way I already knew," he finally said, his expression still shocked. "But still, wow... I..."

He fell silent again, suddenly glaring at them intently. Goten squirmed under his scrutiny.

"How long?" he barked.

"Since the day we went to 'Shake it up'," Bra countered, blushing slightly. Trunks' eyes widened again.

"Goten, why didn't you tell me about this before!" Trunks exclaimed. His countenance had finally switched from shocked to angry and Goten flinched slightly.

"_I_ didn't want him to tell anyone," Bra said, cutting off whatever Goten was about to say. "I still wasn't sure and..."

"And now you are? Sure, that is?" Trunks interrupted, eying her seriously.

"Yes, Trunks, I love him."

Something softened in Trunks' disposition in that instant and he leaned back, staring at both of them a bit dazedly. Goten also allowed himself to relax slightly. It seemed things might end up fine after all.

Suddenly, he turned his attention to him, asking a silent, pointed question.

"I love her too, of course," Goten affirmed.

A few heartbeats went by and Trunks seemed to be deep in thought. _We really sprung one up on you, didn't we buddy? _Goten thought, almost grinning.

"What are your intentions towards my sister?" Trunks asked him bluntly.

"Trunks!" Bra protested. "This isn't a bad sitcom. People don't ask those type of questions anymore!"

Goten laughed shakily. "It's okay, Bra. You're his little sister, I'm his best friend. I think we can allow him a few clichéd phrases, no?"

"It wasn't a cliché!"

"I'm not little anymore!"

Brother and sister stared at each other with a bit of hostility after both their simultaneous outbursts and Goten sighed.

"Bra..." he said softly, and squeezed her shoulder. Instantly, she relaxed and muttered, "_Gomen_."

"It's okay," he murmured back and then raised his eyes to peer at Trunks and noticed his expression was shocked again and he was looking at Bra oddly. _Oh, _Goten reflected. _I guess Trunks had never thought about using the gentle approach with his headstrong sister, huh? _

"My intentions are serious... _very_ serious," Goten said, and both Bra and Trunks stared at him with slightly rounded eyes. "But we haven't decided anything yet. Right now we are a committed couple."

Bra nodded, and he could tell his words had affected her, but she didn't say anything to contradict his "very serious" statement.

"Wow, I can't believe this, this is insane!" Trunks expounded, rubbing his face in obvious apprehensiveness. "My best friend and my little sister... I would have never thought it possible... I mean, _everyone_ already knew Bra had a crush on you..."

"Trunks!" Bra whined, shrilly and Goten grinned.

"... but I just never thought you would actually..."

"Find her attractive?" Goten finished Trunks' sentence, amused. "I have eyes, you know."

"Ugh, please refrain from using the words attractive and my sister in the same sentence," Trunks pleaded. "It's bad enough as it is."

"Trunks!" Bra whined again and this time Goten laughed. Bra glared at him darkly and he just grinned back.

"Okay, so whatever," Bra said. "Are you going to be mad at Goten over this? Because it wasn't his fault, it just happened."

Trunks shook his head, "I'm not mad... it's just a lot to take in..."

"Don't make it any more complicated than it is, Brother," she said and Goten sent her an incredulous look. Bra flushed and adverted her eyes.

"Fine, I understand. Yes it's a bit difficult to take at first but come on, I'm happy, I'm in love and you like Goten, right? I mean, he's your best friend for Pete's sakes. Just give us your blessing. _Now_!" she snapped, glaring at Trunks.

All of a sudden, Trunks laughed out loud, throwing his head back and guffawing loudly. Goten joined him and Bra just sat there, still glaring.

"Oh man. Goten, are you sure you know what you're doing? I mean, it is _Bra_ we are talking about," Trunks chortled.

"Hey, drop it! Both of you." Bra glared at them and Goten did his best to set his features to a serious expression and Trunks did the same.

"Erm... have you told _Tou-san_ yet?" Trunks asked Bra.

"Of course not. I like Goten just the way he is, with his limbs whole, thank-you-very-much."

Trunks snickered and Goten paled slightly. _Oh God, what have I gotten myself into? _He then glanced over at Trunks and saw he was studying him seriously. _I guess we're going to talk about it when Bra's not around, huh? _

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"What do you think he meant by 'my intentions are serious... very serious?'" Bra asked Marron.

"I think he's going to propose soon!" Pan said.

Bra groaned and saw Marron was nodding.

"I have to agree. Everything about this screams proposal."

Bra moaned and Pan frowned.

"Oh come on Bra, act happy about it, for God's sakes," Pan complained.

"It's too soon... I want to just date for a while!"

"I agree," Marron confirmed, always the voice of experience. "I meant proposal but that doesn't mean it's going to be tomorrow. I think every couple needs to date at the very least a year before they get engaged."

"Yes, that sounds about right to me," Bra nodded, smiling.

"Why are you being such a chicken, Bra?" Pan demanded.

"A chicken? I'm not being a chicken, I just don't want to rush this."

"Puh-lease," Pan snorted. "Give me a break. You've been freaking out over Goten the second you guys kissed. All of a sudden the fantasy came true and you got scared. Admit it."

"Okay, fine," Bra cried out and then peeked around, noticing some of the other patrons of the cafe had turned to stare at her. _Great, now I'm yelling in public. _

Right after they had spoken to Trunks, Goten had left because his mother had called him and she had in turn called in an emergency meeting with her friends.

"Yes, I'm scared, are you satisfied?" she admitted, scowling.

"No, I just want to know what's up," Pan asked.

Bra sighed. "I don't know... I guess I'm hung over some things and I just don't wanna rush it. Yes, I love him but I've loved other guys before. My mom always told me I didn't need a man to be happy and tried to raise me to think independently but you know what, I do need a man and so does my mom, why else did she stay with my dad back when Trunks was born and he was ignoring her?"

"Maybe because she loved him?" Marron muttered quietly, looking at her with that tender expression she got sometimes that reminded her so much of Krillin.

"I guess," Bra said, flipping her hair back. "I guess... I'm scared of losing my independence, of changing my whole life for a man. I'm only nineteen."

"But Goten is not asking you to change anything," Pan interjected.

"Not now, he isn't, but marriage changes everything. My mom used to travel the world in adventures all the freaking time and now she's just stuck at home."

"Maybe she _wants_ to be home with you guys. Maybe she had enough of her adventures. For what I know, her life was always in danger. I know that would get old for me very quickly," Marron told her.

"Well, I don't know about it getting old for me," Pan said. "But I think your mom is still very adventurous. I mean, just staying with Vegita all this time must be the biggest adventure ever."

Marron chuckled and Bra just smiled wanly.

"Hey, that's my dad you're talking about."

Pan stuck out her tongue at her and she did the same and Marron just rolled her eyes.

"You know what I think you should be doing? Talking about this with _Goten_," Marron disclosed.

Bra pondered that for a bit. "I suppose you are right."

Marron, Pan and Bra kept chatting for a while longer and ate a little something while they chuckled over some idiot lawyer who had hit on Marron very awkwardly.

After dinner, they parted ways and Bra went home, mediating. She wanted to spend the night with Goten and she was going to talk to him about some of the things she had mentioned to her friends.

Bra also came to the awful realization she was going to have to tell her mom. Bulma would notice if she didn't go home to sleep that night and would most likely ask her about it. She could always lie and say she had gone to Pan's but she didn't want to do that. She hated lying to her mom and really, there was no reason to do so. Her mom was the most open minded person she had ever met and would not get upset over her spending the night at her boyfriend's. It would just be awkward for her to tell her mother she was having sex with her oldest friend's youngest son.

This time, it was she who used the communicator to call her mom. A couple of minutes later, Bulma joined her in the living room, dressed casually in shorts and a tiny tank top. People always said they looked like sisters and really, she prayed constantly to _Dende_ that she would look that good in her early sixties.

"_Kaa-san_, I gotta tell you something," she started and her mom nodded.

"What is it Bra-chan?"

"Goten and I slept together yesterday for the first time."

Bulma's eyes rounded and then she regulated her expression once more.

"So you guys are serious now?" Bulma asked, her eyes still reflecting a bit of shock.

"Yeah. We told Trunks today and Goten said he was very, very serious about me. Pan and Marron think he is about to propose," she told her mom, blushing a bit.

"Propose? Oh, Bra... my baby, come here," her _kaa-san_ told her, extending her arms and Bra sank into them, sniffling a bit.

"Oh, don't cry dear..." Bulma said, stroking her hair and Bra sniffed. "I'm just so scared and I love him so much and I don't know what to do."

"Baby, don't worry about it... things will happen as they need to happen, I promise," her mom told her, still stroking her hair.

Finally, Bra pulled away and smiled. "Thanks _Kaa-san_, I guess I'm feeling a bit emotional."

"How did Trunks take it?"

"Fairly well, actually. I had to get a bit firm with him but I suppose going to him together helped a lot."

"Yes, that was a very smart thing to do. Of course, you are _my _daughter after all," said her mom, winking.

"You're funny, _Kaa-san_," Bra said, wrinkling her nose. "By the way, I'm spending the night at Goten's tonight. And it won't be the only time."

Bulma's eyes widened just a bit. Smiling slowly, she shook her head. "It was a matter of time, huh? Just be safe, please? Use a condom. Do you need one? A box?"

"MOOOMMMMM!"

"What? Why is it that kids always think they were the ones that invented sex?"

"EWWWWWW!!!!!"

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Goten beamed as he felt Bra's ki heading over and he dropped his Sports Illustrated magazine. He opened the door to his home and memories from the previous time she'd come to him flooded his mind, making his other head stand to attention. This time, she was wearing more than just a trench coat, which was slightly disappointing, and was holding what appeared like an overnight bag.

They kissed deeply, saying hi to each other and then Bra broke off the kiss, blushing. He grinned and took the bag from her, walking into the house and settling it on the living room table.

Bra sat on the couch and Goten followed her, still grinning. He sat next to her close enough to be able to get a whiff of her hair. It smelled wonderful.

"Thanks for coming," he said simply and Bra nodded bashfully.

"Why so shy, huh?" he teased, kissing her neck, hitting a spot he knew from experience drove her wild. She gasped slightly and giggled.

"I actually wanted to talk to you," she said, gasping again when his hand found one of her breasts and caressed it lightly.

"You plan on talking all night?" he asked mischievously, pointing at her bag.

She flushed in earnest now, almost to the roots of her lovely blue hair.

"I'm serious!"

He grinned wickedly as his arms stole around her and then nipped on her earlobe teasingly. "I'm listening."

"Well... I... I can't talk when you are doing that!" she complained breathlessly. Then moaned helplessly when he directed his attention to her breasts again, rolling a nipple between his thumb and index finger.

"Then maybe we can talk... afterwards..." he trailed off suggestively, finding her lips with his, his hands sliding into her blouse as hers were tugging on his shirt simultaneously.

"Oh, yes… later," she whimpered.

To be continued...

Japanese words used in this chapter:

yamero: wait  
dende: Earth's current god or deity  
hai: yes  
gomen: sorry  
tou-san: dad  
kaa-san: mom

_Author's notes: __I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	16. Revelations

**Just a Kiss**

**By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 16: Revelations**

_Thanks Trynia Merin for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

Bra was obsessed with sex. That had to be it. Goten and she hadn't done _anything_ else, really, for _TWO_ entire days. He'd gone to work but had left early on both afternoons, while she had gone to her classes. Truthfully, it had been a waste of her time, for she'd spent the entire day daydreaming and fantasizing.

About Goten.

About his kisses, his hands, his exquisite, big, strong body... really, it was almost too much for a girl to take.

It had started the same way twice... Goten had texted her right after work and they'd met up at his place. Barely had they crossed the threshold of his home, when they shed their clothes as quickly as inhumanly possible.

She'd tried wearing some very sexy, expensive lingerie the day before, but he'd torn if off her in his impatience and she'd pouted for about two seconds. Fortunately, he'd made up for it just fine afterwards.

Bra felt that she needed to say something about the situation, but she'd just been enjoying herself too much. So what if they'd become sex freaks? They hadn't gone out or even talked much. She supposed the roller coaster ride had to end at some point, but not just yet.

Indeed, last night she could have sworn she'd heard him moan naughty things like "harder", "Yes, yes," or "Yes, right there, oh my God!" but his lips hadn't moved so it must have been just her imagination, coupled with their connection. It was so good between them, it was almost scary.

"Goten," she murmured, nudging him. He was sprawled face down on his queen size bed, completely and gloriously naked. She'd been quite energetic a while ago and he seemed pretty wiped out, she noticed quite smugly.

"Goten!" she said a bit louder, poking him in the ribs.

"Hmmmmm?" he gurgled, snuggling deeper into the covers.

"Babe, I gotta go. I haven't talked to Pan much lately, and she's starting to get pissed off at me. Also, I haven't even _seen_ my mother... I want to ask her if I can move to the big guest house. I mean, I love my suite of rooms and I do have a private entrance, but I want to be as far way from my dad to have some privacy."

"Really?" he piped up, a bit more awake now. He cast her a lazy, lascivious grin and rolled over.

Despite all they'd had done together the past three days and a half, Bra still blushed under the power of that grin. That was coupled with the incredible view he was giving her of his magnificent nude form. Honestly, he could easily have been inspiration for a sculpture of a Greek god.

"Yeah," she replied, trying to will her blush to fade away. He sat up, facing her fully, his grin spreading even wider now that he was awake and her face flushed a dark pink.

"I would have never imagined you to be such a blusher," he teased, tracing a path from her cheekbones down to her clavicle. She shivered.

"You fluster me," Bra admitted, lowering her eyes. "You were my fantasy and now that it's come true... it's more wonderful than I could have ever imagined."

Goten's held a tender expression that he trained on her as he tipped her chin up, smiling softly.

"I'm not a fantasy... I'm here, real as can be. I have flaws, like any human... well, like any sentient being... but I love you Bra and I can assure you, I'm not going anywhere. _Ever_."

Bra almost gasped at the import of those words. His eyes conveyed his potent emotions, and he leaned forward to kiss her, swallowing her answering moan.

"I... do you think we're going too fast?" Bra wondered as they both surfaced from the kiss for air. His startled expression almost made her wish she could take back the words, but it was too late.

"I'm comfortable with the pace we're going at, babe... we're exploring each other, in every way, enjoying. Don't you want to explore me?" Goten said with a goofy smile, trailing down a hand down her back towards her tail spot.

She gasped violently, her head falling back. Through the haze of pleasure, she could hear him chuckle.

"You... you don't play fair," she moaned as he kept teasing the second most sensitive area of her body.

He laughed this time as he flipped her over and loomed above her.

"Don't you have to be somewhere else, Bra-chan?" he inquired while rubbing against her in exquisite ways.

"OH, _screw_ it!" she yelped as he kissed her ear and neck.

"Yes, please," Goten responded, laughing.

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Goten groaned and stretched, savoring the sore feeling all over his body... He was pleased beyond words that he could use most of his strength while making love to his gorgeous girlfriend. He didn't have to measure his force, controlling his ki. There was always the danger of _something_ happening whenever he followed his libido with human women. Every time he'd had an intimate relationship with a girl, he would keep a senzu in the glove compartment of his car, secure in a little box.

Fortunately, nothing _really_ serious had ever happened, but he'd caused two women to pass out and had given lots of bruises.

_With Bra however... I don't have to worry about that,_ he thought giddily. _I can really let go. _

He loved it. He loved _her_.

It was time to go to work, he reminded himself. Groaning, he got up and came to another realization. It was time to talk to Trunks. Neither of them had contacted the other after their talk in the restaurant. Goten had decided to let his best friend think things through before speaking to him once more. He'd been more reasonable than Goten had expected three days ago, but his parting look had let him know they still had a lot to discuss.

He went to his job and thought all day about what strategy to use with his friend. When they had been a lot younger, Trunks had reveled in treating Goten like a baby just because he was a year younger than him. Goten had let him do it most of them time because it didn't bother him that much most of the time anyway. Trunks had always been his best friend, he couldn't remember a time when the other half Saiya-jin hadn't been in his life. They'd been pretty much raised together.

Trunks had mellowed a bit over the years and now that they were both in their thirties, they had developed a more mature friendship. That didn't mean they didn't still argue often or that Trunks didn't get on his nerves once in a while. He was a spoiled brat and he knew it. But he was also fun, loyal and straightforward.

So how should he act? Should he play innocent? _I was drunk, we kissed! I didn't even mean it! I swear! _No, Trunks would see through it.

How about super apologetic? _I'm so sorry! Really, I didn't want it to happen. I fought it so hard. I apologize. _Too wimpy, Trunks would probably get mad at such an attitude.

Cocky? _Come on Trunks, get over it. She wanted me bad and she got me. What are you upset about? _Ewww, no. That was _so_ not him, maybe more like Trunks.

He finally settled for being honest. _Trunks, I've known both of you and your sister my whole life. You both mean so much to me. You're my best friend and now Bra is the love of my life. We love each other, Trunks, we really do. I've never been happier and she seems happy too. As my best friend, can you please understand that? _

Inhaling a big breath, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed Trunks' on his speed dial. It was the end of the work day and he'd just finished showering. Bra was at the college, trying to make up for all the time she'd been distracted with him, as she'd informed him. The idea made him smile.

Trunks picked up after the third ring.

"_Mushi mushi_," he said in a neutral tone of voice.

"Hey Trunks, whatsup?" Goten asked, cheerfully.

"Nothing much, how about you... how are... things?" his lavender haired friend inquired archly.

"Very good, actually," he replied.

"That's good to hear," said Trunks.

Goten signed, knowing Trunks was going to make him take the first step. "Hey Trunks, do you have any plans for tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm going out with Tram," Trunks replied.

"How about right now? Are you free?" Goten asked, no longer sounding as cheerful.

"I don't know..." Trunks hesitated, acting a bit evasive.

"Trunks, Bra really wants us to continue being friends as before... she told me she would never forgive herself if our friendship was affected. I know we need to talk, so come on, let's just talk." Goten hoped he hadn't laid it on too thick by mentioning Bra, but he knew how stubborn Trunks could be. Truthfully, he would rather get this over with than having to pussyfoot around the situation.

He heard Trunks expel a big breath. "Okay. Let's meet at C.C. in fifteen," he said at last.

"Sure thing." Goten nodded, satisfied as the hung up.

Fifteen minutes later they were face to face. Goten was sporting baggy jeans and a comfy sweater while Trunks was still wearing a designer label suit. _The prince and the pauper_, he mused, smiling a bit at the irony.

Trunks sighed and motioned to Goten to sit down. They were in a sitting area near his suit of rooms, a place where they would hang out often, just watching movies or chatting.

"Goten, I don't think there's much that you could do or say which would break up our friendship, I mean, I can't remember a time when I haven't been your friend," he started and Goten nodded. His words echoed his earlier thoughts.

"But this whole thing with my sister... it's hard to get used to. I mean, you're too old for her!" Trunks exclaimed.

"But Trunks... even if she got with a man her age, he would end up dying before her anyway... remember humans age twice as fast as us? Take us for example. We're in our thirties but look barely old enough to drink!"

"I know that... in my brain," Trunks stated, leaning back. "You know what? I guess I just need time to get used to it... Bra... she's my baby sister. I've always been very protective of her but you... you seem to be good for her. I saw you two together at the restaurant and yes, I could _see_ it." He sighed again and smirked a bit.

"Take all the time you need. I didn't mean for any of this to happen but now that it has, I wouldn't change a thing. I love her so much, Trunks!"

Trunks eyed him, examining his face with that thoughtful expression that made him resemble Vegita so much.

"I've never seen you like this, so besotted," Trunks finally told him, a huge smirk on his face. "Seems my baby sister has you by the balls, huh?"

Goten blushed beet red and Trunks laughed out loud.

"Yup, definitely... got you bad, didn't she?"

Goten nodded, still a bit ruddy in the cheeks.

"I knew the poor sucker she ended up with was going to be led around by the nose, I just never thought it would be you," Trunks guffawed, going as far as slapping his own knee in hilarity.

"Okay now, that's enough... let me inform you she was the one who's been in love with me for years," Goten put in, laughing a bit himself.

"Exactly, she had more time to get used to it while you... it's hit you like a Final Flash, hasn't it?" he taunted.

"Must you remind me of that episode again and again? I was distracted, you took a cheap shot, okay?" Goten mock growled.

"Yeah, so? It was hilarious! Your hair took weeks to grow out!" Trunks laughed yet again, holding his sides.

"Ugh, you are such a _baka_ sometimes, you know that?" said Goten, irritated.

"Says the one who's dating my little sister," pointed out Trunks, smirking.

Goten closed his mouth with a snap and didn't say anything further. Trunks continued to taunt him a bit more and finally they settled down to watch an action flick.

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Bra arrived home that night and went straight to the intercom to call her _kaa-san_, wherever she was. All of a sudden, her _tou-san_ popped out of nowhere, almost scaring the hell out of her. Her instincts, though, that had been honed by the master in front of her, led her to control her impulse to jump.

"You haven't been around much the last few days," he informed her coolly as his dark gaze pinned her down.

"Erm... yes Daddy, I've been busy..." she rejoined, trying very hard not to show any weakness he could pounce on.

"Really, with what?" his eyes narrowed.

"College, friends..."

"A boyfriend?" he asked, raising a black brow.

Bra almost gaped at her dad, but again, stopped herself at the last nanosecond.

"_Tou-san_, you've never asked me about my boyfriends before," she stated, trying to sound confident.

"_Hai_, that's true... but you and your mother have been acting a bit _off_ lately... and for the past two days I've felt a disturbance in Trunks' ki while we've been training. I don't believe in coincidences, _daughter_. And knowing you and your mother, only a boyfriend could cause so much... commotion," he finished pointedly.

"Don't worry _tou-san_, it's nothing," she replied, waving her hands around. "I swear, it's nothing for you to worry about."

"I don't _worry_," he snapped. "If you're lying to me, you'll regret it, got it?"

"Yes Daddy!" she exclaimed.

With that, he turned around.

Bra gaped this time. She felt torn between being touched that her dad cared in his own weird, psycho way and being annoyed that he was choosing this particular issue to be alert about.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed and called her _kaa-san_.

"Mom, we got a problem with Dad, and I want to move to a guest house... tonight if possible," she said succinctly once she met up with her mom in her lab.

Her _Kaa-san_ just told her to hold on while she gave the robots their instructions, and Bra wondered, not for the first time, _Is there anything that phases this woman? _

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Goten drove over to her parent's cottage, deep in thought. His mom had sounded very serious when she'd asked him to come home to have an important talk... what could have happened? _Did dad leave again? _he pondered, frowning.

He arrived and noticed his mother looked a bit disheveled when she opened the door for him.

"What did dad do _this_ time?" he asked without preambles.

"No, it's not your father, Goten-kun... it's me," she sobbed and buried her head in her hands.

Goten was at a loss what to do for a second before enfolding her slight form and hugging her tight. She wept against his chest, hard, and shudders wreaked her body.

"Mom, calm down, it's okay, it's okay," he told her while he searched for his dad's ki... it was nowhere nearby.

"Goten-kun, I've been so unfair to Goku-sa... so unfair," she cried and Goten's thoughts fell into confusion.

"Huh?"

Eventually, his mother composed herself enough to start talking.

"Goten, when your dad talked to you the other day, he didn't tell you the whole story... Your dad has left us in the past for several reasons, yes. But the last time he left, it was because of me," she sobbed.

"What do you mean?" he said.

Sighing, Chichi explained, "Your dad and I... we loved each other so much at the beginning! Little Gohan was such a delight and everything was perfect, until that brother of his showed up and then the trouble started... first it was Saiya-jins that came, after that, Freeza, and Cell and the Androids and Buu... there came a point when I was _this_ close to just leaving everything behind, because my nerves couldn't take it anymore... but I couldn't, I had to be strong and take care of my boys, set a good example for you two."

Goten looked at her in sorrow while his mom sighed.

"Your father was dead for eight years... eight years of loneliness... all of a sudden, unexpectedly he came back and I was so happy! After that, though, things changed... _I_ had changed. I was used to being on my own and had gotten older when he looked even younger, if that is possible."

She took a deep breath and gazed directly into Goten's eyes, willing for him to understand her.

"I waited till both of you were adults to make the decision... I wanted out. I couldn't take the uncertainly anymore. What would be the next threat? The next interesting tournament or pupil that would draw him away from me once again? Fighting was the mistress I could never best. Enough was enough, so I asked him to leave."

She stayed silent and Goten gawked a bit at her.

"_You_ asked _him_ to leave?" Goten cried out, feeling his whole perception of reality shift. In a matter of moments the world he knew and loved was no longer solid, but crumbling to pieces

"Yes, Goten-kun, but he never left for good. He would always come back, if at least for a bit. I would be weak and let him stay but I would always set it up so he would have to leave again, I didn't want to get sucked in, you see," she sighed, fresh tears coating her face.

"But... he... you," Goten stammered a bit, not being able to articulate all that was going through his thoughts.

"He's back for good now, dear. He won't leave anymore, I won't let him. I've had enough of being lonely. I'm sorry that we weren't completely straightforward with you. It was your dad actually who insisted on it. He preferred taking the blame because, well, he felt guilty. He knew how unsatisfied I was with... everything and when I asked him to leave, he was very understanding... perhaps he knew I would relent one day. It's too bad it took me so long."

Goten just sat there, staring at his mom as if he were seeing her for the first time.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Chibi," she put in, breaking the silence. "Would you like to eat something? It might help you think."

Her eyes were big and hopeful and she was ready to get up to the kitchen and do what she did best. Goten shook his head slowly.

"No Mom... I think I need to, well, think about this. I'll call you later, okay?"

Chichi nodded, and looked very dejected. Despite his current confusion, he didn't want to see her like that. Stepping forward, he gave her a big hug and a kiss.

"You're a good son, you know that?" she whispered, crying a bit. "You're going to make some lucky girl so very happy one day."

Goten almost laughed at that moment, but suppressed it and pecked her on her forehead before retiring.

He knew who he needed at the moment.

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Goten felt her ki in one of the prettiest guest houses in the Capsule Corp complex. He wanted to sneak up on her so he suppressed his own energy level as low as it could go while his heart kept beating. He crept in silently and saw her standing in the living room, giving a dozen robots their latest instructions. She was about three fourths of the way done, he could tell. It was obvious she had been working all afternoon on this.

Bra was wearing a pair of cut-offs and a tiny tube top that left little to the imagination. It was pretty chilly outside, but being half-Saiya-jin like him, he was sure she wasn't cold at all.

His mouth watered, while he stared at her. Arousal invaded his body. Really, it wasn't difficult at all excite him to such a state lately. All she had to do was smile and he would stand to attention, like a randy teenager in the throes of his first infatuation.

He stepped up right behind her, surprised she still hadn't noticed his presence and smiled naughtily as he pressed up against her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"AAHHH!" she shrieked, dropping half a dozen capsules. Immediately, she realized it was him and relaxed slightly.

"GOTEN, you scared me to death!" she shrieked.

"You need to be more careful, my love... what if it was a rapist intent on having your charms?" he asked silkily against her ear.

Bra snorted and wriggled her butt temptingly against him.

"Well, it would depend... is he hung like you?" she asked lasciviously.

Goten almost gasped at her crude words and clung to her even closer.

"You naughty girl," he murmured and felt her shiver. "Is your bed un-encapsuled yet?" he inquired, almost panting.

"_Iie_, not yet," she whispered back.

"Oh, _screw_ it," he exclaimed as he turned her around and lowered her to the carpet.

"Please," Bra replied, giggling.

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

mushi mushi: hello over the phone  
baka: stupid, idiot  
kaa-san: mom  
tou-san: dad  
hai: yes

_Author's Notes:_ _I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	17. Discovery

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 17: Discovery**

_Thanks Trynia Merin for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

_Warning, this chapter contains a bit of citrus (sexual content), but nothing too graphic..._

The two part-Saiya-jin girls circled each other with equally feral expressions, searching for a weak point in their defenses. Fists up, feet shuffling, they appeared to be dancing. However, no mere dance could copy such grace and latent strength.

"Hyaaaa!" Bra eventually hollered, advancing on Pan and managing to land several punches, before propelling her back with a mighty kick. Pan hit the domed wall of the gravity machine _hard_ with a gasp and a groaned, "_Kuso_..."

Slowly getting up, Pan wiped blood from her split lip, grinning dangerously. Bra stood in a defensive stance a few feet away, smirking.

"Kyyyyaaaa!" Pan came at Bra with all her might, forcing the heiress to dodge a dozen hits before spinning around.

"AAAAHHHHH!" screamed Pan, stepping back from Bra. She eyed her friend seriously and determinedly as she started powering up. Her eyes commanded Bra's attention as she still and stared, knowing something monumental was about to happen. Pan's dark, long hair levitated, seemingly having life of its own as it sparked and thickened, pulsating with golden ki. For a mere second, Bra saw it turn blond, and Pan's eyes were not their usual luminous black anymore, but a dull shade of fearsome teal.

Bra gasped out-loud, waiting to view the ultimate ascension but the transformation never actually happened. Her hair reverted to its black, limp form around its ponytail and Pan sagged to the floor, breathing hard, gasping in exertion.

Bra walked up to Pan slowly, awe present in every line of her beautiful face. She sat down next to her best friend and smiled widely.

"So that is why you insisted so very much for a sparring session! I can't believe it, you almost made it!" Bra squealed, clapping her hands together in glee.

Pan smiled weakly in return and shook her head. "Problem is... that might be as far as I can ever go... I've been working _so_ hard, for SO many years and in the end, perhaps I just have too much human blood in me."

Bra frowned, staring at Pan intently. The Son girl looked exhausted.

"Thanks, by the way," Pan put in abruptly.

Bra flashed a crooked smirk. "For what? Beating you up?"

Laughing weakly, Pan clutched her sides before speaking. "Well, this might be the first real sparring session I've ever had with you. Guess Goten is a good influence on you, eh?"

Bra blushed and giggled, swiping sweat from her brow and wiping it on her spandex shorts.

"Well, we hadn't sparred in about three months, I felt I owed you."

"You did... these men in our lives; they are just too distracting..." Pan trailed off, shaking her head.

"Yes, they are," Bra agreed. "In any case, I personally believe you are very, very close. Perhaps it will take you longer than you ever thought, but you shouldn't lose hope."

Shaking her head, Pan sighed. "I don't know. It's so frustrating! I mean, you could probably ascend any time you wanted, I don't know what's holding you back. Me, I want it with every fiber of my being!"

Bra glanced away glumly, not wanting to tell her friend that one of the reasons why she never pushed herself as hard as she should to ascend was because of her. For as long as she could remember, it had been Pan's dream to become a Super Saiya-jin just like Uncle Goten and Trunks. Both had achieved it easily when they had been mere children. Bra hadn't been interested in training at all until her dad had decided to start doing when she turned ten. Perhaps the late start, combined with her "idiotic too human attitude" as _Tou-san_ would so fondly called it plus not wanting to upstage Pan, had held her back from ascending herself.

Pan, on the other hand, trained every single day; by herself, with either of her parents or with Trunks. She adored sparring with Goku whenever he was around. She would drop everything that day, anxiously waiting for her turn. She'd even trained with Vegita a few times. He didn't hold back at all, so it was a rare occurrence for she usually ended up quite bruised.

"I think we should probably vacate my dad's GR..." Bra voiced, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I really don't fancy running into his I'm-going-to-kill-you-if-you-don't-scram-right-NOW expression."

Bra giggled at her friend's dry wit and helped her get up, groaning herself as they exited the chamber after turning off the 100-times-gravity field.

"I have a date with Ben in an hour," said Pan as they neared the complex. "Can I borrow something from your closet?"

Bra glanced over slyly at the former tomboy, smirking slightly at her embarrassed shift in glance.

Bra nodded, smirking. "So you are one hundred percent sure that his ex is out of the picture right?"

"Yes, completely... I don't think she'll ever want to come back after the scare I gave her," chuckled Pan.

Bra giggled uncontrollably at that as they got to her new residence in the guest area of Capsule.

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Goten was toweling his hair, musing about how it was probably time to cut it. Although Bra did love being able to get a grip on it, so figured he shouldn't cut it _too_ short. His cell rang, distracting him from his thoughts.

He walked over to his nightstand where the phone was charging and grinned as he picked it up.

"Hey Trunks, howsitgoing?"

"Nothing much, here about to go out to lunch. Are you working today?"

"Not till later this afternoon. I just have two training sessions like at two. Wanna have lunch at that stake place?" Goten offered. He could hear the windy background on Trunks' end and could tell C.C.'s President had flown out the window yet again.

"Yeah, meet me there in twenty," Trunks said.

They met up at the establishment and immediately got down to business, ordering several steaks each. It would be just enough to tide them over until they could have a real meal. When the food started coming, they stopped chatting and commenced eating as both were famished.

Once finished with the initial appetizers, they waited for the next courses to arrive. Seating back comfortably the best friends chatted about nonsensical topics... work, the latest news, Goten's latest spar with Goku that morning... Eventually when they were almost finished, Goten noticed that Trunks seemed a bit out of it. He was actually picking at his food after just three plates and was staring unfocused at something seemingly fascinating over Goten's shoulder.

"And then Bra told me she was pregnant but that it wasn't my child," Goten said loudly. Trunks snapped his eyes back to him and screamed, "_NANI_!!!"

Son Goten threw his head back and hollered in laughter. Trunks didn't seem too amused at first, but his friend's laughter was contagious and he finally chuckled along, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

"So what's on your mind today? Are you still upset over Bra and I?" Goten asked succinctly with that trademark Son straightforwardness.

"Well, not really," Trunks replied, sighing. "It's something else... it's about Tram."

"But I thought things were going great!"

Trunks shrugged, trying to act indifferent but Goten knew better. That woman had gotten under his skin, and that had happened even before they'd started dating in earnest. "Yes, actually things are going very, very well. We are clicking amazingly. It's only been what, three months but I've known her for longer than that. She might be the one."

Goten whooped, grinning. "That's awesome!"

"Yes, but the issue is that I think it's time to tell her about, well, my alien side. You know how _great_ that went the last time I did it..." Trunks said sarcastically.

Nodding slowly, Goten's eyes turned sympathetic. "Yeah, that didn't go well, did it?"

Trunks had been 25 and very much in love. He and his girlfriend had been dating for over two years. She not only actually enjoyed martial arts almost as much as Trunks but also worked in Capsule Corporation. Their bond seemed unbreakable and Trunks was about to propose. However, he wanted to tell her about his Saiya-jin side first so there would be no surprises later. Like when their first born came out with a furry brown tail. Or she caught him going Super Saiya-jin.

She hadn't taken it very well, regrettably. At the beginning, she'd tried quite hard to come to terms with it, claiming she still loved him. A couple of months later, Trunks made a tentative marriage proposal and she alleged she still had things to accomplish before she would consider marriage.

Obviously, it was an excuse being the fact she had been more than enthusiastic about marrying him before, but Trunks let it slide. Some time later, she finally tearfully confessed she couldn't see them as being together anymore. She said that she couldn't accept his alien heritage, as much as she had attempted to.

Trunks had been extremely heartbroken and had dealt with it by dating a string of actresses and singers that would put any Casanova to shame. After that, he hadn't had a serious relationship, until now.

"Trunks... this must be quite scary, huh?" Goten broke the silence.

"I need to prepare myself for the possibility that she... I mean, I already feel so much for her and I know that if I'm with her longer, it will just grow. I think it's better to get it over with, even if it hasn't been that long."

A nod came from Goten. "Perhaps you're right. I feel for you... I remember how terrified I was when I told Paris, but it barely even phased her."

"Yes, I remember," Trunks said with a hint of envy. "Nothing ever phased that girl, anyhow, at least until she'd started with her drinking thing…" he said, chuckling.

Goten chuckled along. It was good to be able to laugh about it now. It had been quite tough, trying to deal with his ex-grilfriend's issues with alcohol. At the end, everything had turned out alright. Apparently she was doing better and he was now with the love of his life, who had always been right under his nose.

"Tram seems very put together and mature... a bit too mature for you, if you ask me," taunted Goten. "I have a feeling she'll be fine with it."

Trunks grinned and punched him on the shoulder. "Thanks, buddy."

"Anytime. Now it's my turn... I actually have very good news. You know how I told you that I had plans to..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Goten paced around his two bedroom house, giddy with excitement and anticipation. Bra would come over any second; she'd been resting from her sparing session with Pan and had needed to study for a test.

He couldn't wait to show her his surprise.

Grinning, he felt her ki signature nearby and still approaching. He grabbed his wallet and car keys and headed outside to wait for her.

"I thought we were having dinner in," commented Bra archly as she got out of her car and noticed he was next to his car, smiling widely.

"Naw, I need to show you something first."

"Alright."

She got into his car and they drove off, heading downtown.

"So what is it that you have to show me?" Bra asked, poking him in the ribs.

"It's a surprise... you understand the concept, right?" Goten said teasingly.

Bra chuckled and settled back to find a good radio station. About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at a business complex and parked nearby.

Goten took her hand eagerly and tugged her forward until they were standing right in front of an empty establishment. Undecorated walls, bare floor and faded posters seen through the entrance was all she could distinguish through the dingy windows. It was located in a very commercial and happening section of town, but she didn't see anything special about this particular empty store.

Beaming, her boyfriend pointed and stated, "I bought this store."

An inquiring expression crossed Bra's face. "Bought it? What for?"

"Well, a partner and bought this place. He is a coworker I've known for many years. We are going to open a dojo. I will be the main instructor and he will deal with all the financial issues and such."

Incredulously, Bra stared at him, her mouth hanging open.

"You are going to open a dojo!?"

"Yup," he exclaimed happily.

"That is so awesome, Goten! No way! Why hadn't you told me about this before? You did mention once how you had bigger plans but you never expounded further... WOW!"

"I wanted to surprise you," he admitted quietly. Bra giggled and launched herself at him, kissing every single inch of his face, while squealing in excitement. Goten hugged her back and laughed out loud. _I couldn't have asked for a better reaction,_ he mused.

"I am so happy for you babe! This will be so great! When are you going to open it? I can do the interior design for you!" his woman babbled excitedly, jumping up and down. "We have to celebrate!!!!"

"Yes, we do," Goten murmured, eying her up and down, from the tip of her pretty curled hair to the toes of her open toed pumps. That miniskirt had been distracting him ever since she'd arrived at his house.

"How do you want to celebrate? I can call up a limo and go somewhere fancy or we could fly anywhere! Anything you want," Bra declared.

"Anything?" Goten sent her a seductive look.

Correctly interpreting his look, she blushed a bit. "Oh Goten, we can do _that_ later... Come on, let's do something fun!"

"That _is_ something fun... and the only way I want to celebrate right now," he said.

Bra giggled. "Alright, I'll take that as a compliment... Your place or mine?"

Goten responded by pulling her into his arms and taking off in a blur.

"Your car!" she yelled.

"That's my parking spot, I'll pick it up later."

Bra shook her head, her hair whipping in the wind. "Where are you taking us?"

In answer, he grabbed her ass firmly and kissed her hard, rubbing himself against her urgently.

"Oh!" she moaned into his mouth, wriggling.

His blood was pounding to a primitive beat in his ears, while his libido rocketed out of control. He got a hold of the hem of her indecent skirt and started sliding it upwards.

"GOTEN! We are in the middle of the air!" Bra protested loudly.

"So? It's not like we're going to fall... and no one will be able to see us this far up," he finished, anticipating her next complaint.

She still looked doubtful, so he convinced her further by pulling down her top, being careful not to rip it this time, and caressing her right breast slowly. He saw her eyes darken and then close in pleasure. What could he say? He was a boob man, although her amazing legs were a close second. Said limbs were wrapped around him securely and he was sure they would have already caused major damage to a human.

He shot upwards, making sure there were several layers of clouds between them and the surface of Chikyuu, just to make very sure they were well hidden. Then he proceeded to make furious love to her in mid-air, something he had never experienced before.

As they pounded together, they started losing altitude. They both finished with loud cries and Goten was able to keep them up long enough to rearrange their clothes hastily and figure out where they were.

"That was so _sugoi_," exclaimed Bra when they landed securely on a peaceful clearing that was actually not that far from the city.

Goten grinned crookedly and kissed her again. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"Yes, of course," she said, smirking. They laughed together.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"My grandma's picnic is tomorrow," Pan said while they were taking a break from studying on Bra's bed for their different classes, and the one they had in common.

Bra sighed. "Yeah, I know..."

"So... what have you decided? Are you going to tell?"

"I don't know, Pan. Goten and I are doing so well that I'm scared of complicating things," Bra muttered, rolling over on her belly. "At the very start, I was a bit confused about what was going on and Goten was acting so strange! But ever since we settled things between us, he's gone back to the Goten I knew... relaxed, easy going, insatiable in b... erm... never mind," Bra waved her hand around, grinning. "You get the idea. I love him more than I ever thought possible. I don't want to lose him."

"Who says you're going to lose him? He seems a bit too besotted, if you ask me. And I think you guys should just move in together already. You spend most nights in the same bed anyway," Pan teased, twirling a strand of her medium length dark hair.

"You're right, I've been contemplating it, but wouldn't it be too soon? It's only been what, three months since this whole thing started? Everything is happening so fast!"

Pan pursed her lips and looked thoughtful. "Have you stopped to consider your Saiya-jin heritage?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the way you describe your relationship, it sounds to me like things are going on that normally don't happen in regular human relationships. Maybe that's part of what's going on, don't you think?"

Bra sat up and contemplated her friend's words... could it be true? Could there be something occurring beyond their mutual attraction? Strange things did happen when she was around him... she felt sensations she'd never experienced in the past.

"You make a good point, Pan. I feel stupid not to have considered it sooner," admitted Bra wryly. "And I'm supposed to be the daughter of a genius and a prince."

Her friend smirked. "Yeah, the operating word being supposed..." Bra reached over to smack her but Pan dodged, laughing. "Well, it's easier sometimes to see things when you're looking from the outside."

"So you think there is some weird Saiya-jin stuff going on here?"

Pan shrugged. "Have you ever asked your dad about any strange mating thingies they might have?"

A snort answered her. "Ask my dad about Saiya-jin culture? It would be easier to squeeze water out of a rock. He's extremely tight-lipped about anything to do with that. _Kaa-san_ claims my dad has decided to leave all that behind; being the fact that in a couple of centuries there will be absolutely no Saiya-jin blood to speak of in our descendants, since it will be diluted completely with human blood. Once he decided to stay here, weather consciously or not at the beginning, he left it behind. Oh, he will still tell everyone who will listen, or even those who don't care, that he is the great Saiya-jin no Ouji, but won't talk about his culture."

"I guess your dad is an all or nothing type of guy, huh? He figures why even bother when, like you said, his blood is just going to get diluted eventually. It must have been hard for him to come to terms with all that and to eventually stay with your mom. I'd never thought about it like that, you know. Your dad looks so hard, so sure of himself all the time," Pan mused.

"He might look like that but he does have feelings. They are so tightly controlled though, it's almost painful, I think, for him to even show them."

Both best friends were silent for a minute, musing about their heritage and what it implied when Bra's cell started ringing.

"If it's Goten, tell him you guys can have sex later," Pan complained, mock-disgusted.

"Shut up," snapped Bra, and then said, "It's Marron anyway, _baka_"

"Hey Bra, are you with Pan?" inquired Marron as soon as she picked up.

"Yeah, we're at my house, whatsup?"

"I need to tell you two something that just happened. Can I head over?"

Bra nodded and then realized she was on the phone and the blond woman couldn't see her.

"Of course, come over."

They hung up and Pan asked, "What was all that about?"

"Hmmm, I don't know."

Marron arrived less than twenty minutes later and both Bra and Pan had spent that time coming up with what could have happened to their friend. Their ideas became more and more ridiculous by the second.

"Maybe she's pregnant!"

"No, she's in love with Trunks."

"Okay, I got one... She hooked up with that creep in her office that kept hitting on her."

"Ewww, no, she's having an affair with her hot boss!"

When the bell rang at her place, Bra leapt up eagerly and was quickly followed by Pan.

Marron walked in, grinning from ear to ear and they stared at her suspiciously.

"Well, you look too happy to be pregnant," Bra commented.

"But maybe she's in love with her boss," put in Pan.

They giggled and Marron gave them a look that said, "Have you lost your MINDS?!!" and made herself at home sitting on one of Bra's many designer couches.

"So what is it?" Bra inquired, sitting next to her blond friend.

"Mike is back."

"Mike, as in your ex-fiancée Mike who had to leave to _Dende_ knows where for 'work related issues' and broke up with you after picking an extremely nasty fight?" Pan exclaimed, amazed.

"Yup... he's moving back."

"And he wants you back, of course," stated Bra dryly.

"Apparently so. He showed up at my place a couple of hours ago and..."

"Yes, we can just imagine what happened next... Oh, Marron..." Pan sighed. "You're just as bad as Bra."

"Me, what did I do now?" Bra said.

They all giggled together and Marron continued to tell them what had happened in great detail.

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"Are you sure about this, babe?" Goten asked her for the third time that morning.

"Yes, GOTEN, I already said I'm sure, it's almost as if you don't want me to tell them," Bra teased.

"No, of course not, it's not that," he started and then saw her mischievous expression and laughed. "Oh, Bra..."

"It's the perfect opportunity. My dad left the day before yesterday on one of his training trips and that could take anywhere form a few days to a couple of weeks. He even took the space ship. At least this time he sort of let my mom know when he packed right in front of her... in any case, we can always deal with him when he comes back."

Goten almost shuddered at the necessity of at some point in the future, whether it was tomorrow or in a hundred years from now, having to face her volatile father. Yet it had to be done, though, if they were to be together. It was a miracle he hadn't found already anyhow.

Grinning down at her, he seized her hand and pulled her forward playfully. They were a few hundred feet from his parent's cottage, where his mother had been cooking up a storm since the day before.

"I can just imagine the look on their faces!" Bra chortled and Goten grinned back.

"Yup, they will be surprised alright."

"I love you so much," she whispered into his ear and he sighed, holding her even closer.

One second they were in each other's arms, kissing and the next an invisible force of nature tore him away from Bra, grasped a hold of his neck and slammed him against a nearby tree viscously.

Goten gaped up with astonished eyes at his opponent's dark and dangerous visage.

"Daddy! What are you doing here!" the Saiya-jin no Ouji's daughter screeched in a very high-pitched and nervous tone of voice.

_Oh, kuso_, Goten groaned. _I'm so dead._

To be continued...

Japanese words used in this chapter:

kuso: expletive  
tou-san: dad  
nani: what  
sugoi: cool  
kaa-san: mom  
baka: stupid  
kuso: crap (or worse), expletive

To be continued…

_Author's notes:_ _I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	18. Daddy, Please Dont Kill my Boyfriend

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 18: Daddy, Please Don't Kill my Boyfriend**

_Thank you TryniaMerin for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words used in italics in this chapter at the end…_

"Daddy! What are you doing here!"

"Oh, what I wasn't invited?" Vegita snickered. "Nice to see you were going around my back, Daughter."

"Daddy," Bra said in a panicky voice. "It's not what you think."

Vegita raised a dark eyebrow and stared her down with those bottomless dark eyes. He was still pinning Goten to the tree and her boyfriend was immobile, his wide eyes shifting about.

"So he didn't have his repulsive hands all over you? So you two weren't slobbering all over each other?"

Bra took a deep breath. "He's my boyfriend. I was going to tell you... eventually."

Vegita's sardonic and slightly bored expression was transformed into one of complete rage. He tightened his hold on Goten's neck, causing him to gag slightly. Though Goten's arms flew up and grabbed Vegita's forearms, he didn't make any other moves and for that she was grateful.

"Your _boyfriend_?" her father spat venomously. "What in the name of… How could you? He is my enemy's spawn, girl. He _cannot_ be your BOYFRIEND."

Bra trembled slightly and begged, "Please, Daddy, let him go. We can talk about this, okay?"

"No, I am EXTREMLY weary and damned tired of all this _talking_. That is all that humans on this damned planet want to do. If this was Vegita-sei, this low third-class useless piece of _kuso_ would never be worth not even one of your looks. This stops now."

"Well, Daddy, this isn't freaking Vegita-sei, alright? Here on Earth, he is worthy of my attention, so let him go NOW!"

"NO," he shouted back. "I will demand satisfaction. How far has this gone? For how long?"

"I am not answering any questions until you LET GO OF MY BOYFRIEND!!!" she screeched.

Vegita growled. "Finally, you show some Saiya-jin spirit. However, it is not the appropriate moment. You will do as I say. I am your sovereign."

"Pttt," she scoffed. "You keep forgetting we are on _Chikyuu_. Laws here are different and you can't just grab my _boyfriend_ and hurt him."

"This planet's laws are worthless towards someone as powerful as me and you know it, brat."

"What is all this noise?" yelled out a female voice from behind them. They all turned towards the source and saw Chichi sprinting up to them, an enraged expression on her face. Bra was surprised she wasn't carrying a frying pan with her.

"Harpy," Vegita spat out. "Go back into the house. This does not concern you."

"What? What are you doing to my son! Let him go right now!" she screamed, trying to step closer to Goten.

It was Bra who held her back, gently grabbing her upper arm. Shaking her head, she eyed her meaningfully. "Chichi-san, I know this looks very bad but we're just having an argument here. Please, I can handle the situation. Could you go back inside like my dad asked?"

Her hopes that she could reason with her future mother in law were shattered when the older woman hissed and shook her light grip. "No! I demand an explanation! What is going on?!!!!"

"Your worthless offspring was pawing _my_ daughter," Vegita said.

"What? Goten, is this true?" Chichi asked. Vegita smirked and loosened his hold on Goten's neck just enough to permit him to speak.

"Mom, she's my girlfriend. We're a couple."

"A couple? Since when? Why didn't I know about this?" Chichi asked sharply.

"We got together a bit longer than two months ago but it wasn't official till recently. We were waiting for the right time to tell people."

"Yes," Bra cut in. "We were going to tell you today at the picnic."

"While I was conveniently away," said Vegita, growling.

Chichi's eyes widened and Bra could tell she was trying to sort out the situation as quickly as possible. Her expression became determined. She took a deep breath and said, "If they're a couple, it's fine if he _paws_ her. I tried teaching my boy some morals, but you know how young people are nowadays. It's nothing to get all worked up about, though."

Bra groaned and shook her head. That was _not_ going to sway her dad. She really wished this inevitable dispute could have happened in private, but no, now her boyfriend's mother had to become involved in an already volatile situation. What could she do now?

"I'm not getting _worked up_," her dad said angrily. "My daughter is a Saiya-jin princess and your son is a third-class idiot, son of my enemy that I have sworn to kill. He is not fit to stand under her shadow."

"How dare you!" Chichi started ranting when a sudden movement a couple of feet away distracted everyone. It was Goku, who had just popped out of no-where using his _Shunkan Idô_.

_Great_, Bra thought sardonically. _Anyone else care to join the party?_

"I felt ki disturbances and Chichi getting mad. What's going on? Are you guys sparring?" Goku asked. He carried a big fish in his arms. Seeing the situation, he dropped it and wiped his hands on his gi's top, staring at them with that naïve expression of his.

Before Chichi could start yelling Bra began speaking loudly, "Goku-san, Goten and I are a couple. We were going to tell people today. I thought my dad was away but apparently," she sent a sharp look to her father, "he wasn't. He saw Goten and I kissing and is upset because he's 'only a third-class idiot' and your son to boot."

"Oh," Goku said, scratching his head. His eyes darted to his son being pinned down by Vegita and chuckled nervously. "Wow, so you and Bra are together? That's great!"

"No, you _baka_," her dad replied furiously. "It is NOT great."

"But Vegita, don't you want a strong son in law? Goten might not be the strongest Saiya-jin but he's very strong. He'll protect your daughter."

"The only one that needs to protect my daughter is me!" Vegita snapped, practically foaming in the mouth.

"Erm… okay… Listen, Vegita, why don't you just let go of Goten so we can all talk!"

"NO!" he thundered. "Has no one been listening? I don't want to talk. I want to kick this cretin's ass and then I want this disgusting _relationship_ to be over."

"Daddy!" Bra finally screamed. "Stop it! You are acting ridiculous! I can date whoever I please and I love Goten!"

"You LOVE him?" Vegita roared, gripping Goten's neck even tighter. Goten made a choked noise and struggled a bit against the hold.

"Let go of my son! Goku, do something!" Chichi yelled.

"Vegita! You don't want to do this. Bulma will get very mad. She likes Goten," Goku put in, trying to placate the angry Saiya-jin.

"Arrrggg!" was all Vegita spat. He let go of Goten and before he could react, punched him in the gut and then quickly kicked him in the chest, sending him flying several feet away. He landed with a thud on the soft ground.

"VEGITA! STOP!!!" Goku roared. Before he could get to his son, Vegita was already there. Bra followed them, panting in anxiety.

"No, Daddy! Please, don't do this!!!!"

She gazed at Goten's sprawled form, searching his pained eyes and tried broadcasting him a mental message, as impossible she knew that to be. _I love you Goten. Please, fight back._

_I love you too._ Goten answered, but his lips didn't move and everyone was silent at the moment.

_What? How can this be?_ she thought back, incredibly shaken. Her hands shook and her knees were ready to buckle.

_Let him beat me up, Bra. It's the only way. Send my parents away._ he communicated back, looking into her eyes.

_No!_ her thoughts screamed back at him, _I will not let you get hurt._

"What is the meaning of this!" Vegita demanded. Only a second had passed after Goten had been punched and kicked and her dad was now standing over him, gaping at her and at Goten, a flabbergasted expression on his face.

"It cannot be… you're bonding," he whispered.

"Bonding? What the hell is that?" Bra replied.

"Didn't you two just communicate telepathically?"

"Erm…"

"Don't lie to me now, girl. You know I can tell." He was deadly in his anger, veins pulsating in his neck and forehead, teeth bared.

"Yes, we did. And what about it?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"So the little usurper not only put his nasty hands on you, made you his girlfriend but has also had the audacity to start a _bond_ with you! This is unbelievable!"

With that, he screamed out and kicked Goten in the ribs. Goten howled in pain and held his side, coughing.

"Dad, no!" Bra gasped, pushing him away from her man roughly. She took a battle stance, her feet apart, her fists up.

"Oh, you think you can defy me, daughter? I am the law. I am the Saiya-jin no Ouji!"

"You are nothing but an asshole who is beating up my boyfriend!" his daughter retorted, outraged.

Angrily, Vegita struck out at her, but Bra avoided it, screeching in rage.

"Goku, Chichi, please leave now. I will handle this!" Bra glanced over her shoulder where Goku and Chichi were gawking at them.

"No, I can't leave my son!" Chichi sobbed.

"I'll take care of it. He's my dad." Bra received a kick to the face that spun her aside. Then he righted herself, wiping blood from her lip, grimacing.

"Chi, I think it's best if we at least gave them some space. I will still be able to know what's happening. Come," Goku said.

"NO!" Chichi yelled. "I will not leave!"

Goku sighed and swept Chichi into his arms. She started struggling and he levitated. "I will transport if you need help, okay Bra?"

"Okay," she panted.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Goten could not believe his rotten luck. Not only had they been discovered in the worst way possible by his future father in law, but his parents had gotten involved too. Okay, maybe it wasn't the _worse_ possible way, considering what they'd been doing several times a day, sometimes all day, during the last week, but still. It was BAD.

He lay on the ground, staring at father and daughter as they fought. Slowly, he got up and decided he needed to intervene. Bra was no match for her father and he would not stand by and let her get hurt.

He rushed towards them but was kicked aside at the last second. Vegita's reflexes were way too superior.

"Dad, stop hurting him! Stop this, please! I love him, you can't separate us, especially if we're mated or bonded like you said," Bra pleaded.

"No. You are not bonded yet, so it can be stopped. In fact, it _must_ be stopped. I will not let the royal princess be sullied by this trash."

Goten winced and Bra screamed. "He is not trash!!!"

"Whatever," Vegita snorted.

"Would you rather I date a human, Dad?" Bra asked sharply.

"Yes, actually I would rather you mate with a human than with my mortal enemy's son."

"But Dad, everyone knows he's no longer your enemy for real!"

He glared at her murderously. "Don't presume to know who is or isn't my enemy, girl."

He turned towards Goten, who swallowed hard. "If you can best me in battle, you can have my daughter."

"That's not fair! You know he wouldn't be able to beat you, Dad!"

"Then he's not worthy of you."

"Fine," Goten said. "I will fight you."

"NO! I will not let you die Goten. Make no mistake, he will try to kill you. I won't let you fight him!"

Goten sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "So what do you want me to do?"

"I don't know!"

"Bra, don't interfere. If he is a warrior, he should be able to defend what's his. In Vegita-sei, as a King it would be custom for me to challenge any future mate of yours."

"NO!!!!!!" she screamed. "We are not in Vegita-sei, you _bakayarou_!" Goten had never seen her so furious.

"I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!!!!!"

With feet spaced apart, fists clenched, Bra started screaming incoherently. Her aura began whipping around her, lifting her hair, her clothes. She powered up steadily while she continued yelling. Suddenly, her arms raised and she roared mightily as her ki exploded around her. The ground quaked and the wind whistled around them.

Mid-roar, Bra opened her eyes and they turned from dark blue to a flat teal. Her hair stood up around her head, becoming spiky, wild and much thicker. It also changed from a vivid blue-green to a shiny white-blond.

Her transformation completed, she stared down at the two of them. Goten's knees threatened to buckle. He'd never seen a more stunningly beautiful sight in the world. If they'd been alone, he would have launched himself at her, offering congratulations and much more but this wasn't the time.

"Bra," he whispered reverently. "You've become a Super Saiya-jin."

"Yes," she smirked, deadly.

Face twisted with ill concealed pride and distress Vegita coldly said, "Daughter, if you think this will sway my opinion, you are sorely mistaken. Trunks and Goten were able to do that when they were children. You're almost twenty Earth years old."

"Yes, Father, I know. I merely finally got mad enough to do it and have a purpose now. I will not let you take Goten away from me."

"Hmmp." He father crossed his arms and regarded her seriously. "You'd really be willing to fight me for him?"

"Yes."

"To leave your home?"

"Yes."

"To sever all ties with your family?"

At that Bra hesitated for a fraction of a second but then replied again, firmly, "Yes, although I doubt Mom would allow that."

Vegita shook his head, eyes shutting. "Before you decide all this, there are some things we need to discuss. Send the _baka_ away."

Bra's eyes widened and her transformation faded away slowly. She glanced at Goten and he shrugged his shoulders, at a loss of what to do. At least Vegita wasn't trying to kill either of them anymore.

"Fine," she replied. "Give us a minute, Dad."

"No. Whatever you have to say to him you can say it in front of me."

His girlfriend rolled his eyes and approached him. Mentally, she told him, _I love you, Goten. Don't worry about a thing. He'll never like you but he'll have to learn to tolerate you for me. I'm very sorry he hurt you._

_Bra, I love you too. I'm okay, it's nothing. I've had worse,_ he communicated back, piercing her with his eyes.

He had so many questions. Was she really willing to do all her dad asked her just a moment ago, just for him? Also, what was it with that mating or bonding stuff he mentioned? He saved his questions for later, though. Right now, he needed to leave father and daughter to discuss this disaster.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Bra watched the love of her life take off nervously. She then regarded her father.

"Alright, what is it?" she demanded, crossing her arms, unconsciously mimicking the Saiya-jin Prince's posture.

"It's about Saiya-jin mating," he started and then cleared his throat.

Bra would have no mercy on him after what he almost did to them. She knew it made him very uncomfortable to talk about his heritage for many reasons, all of them stupid in her opinion. _Let him squirm._

"You need to know more facts about this situation before you make the worst mistake of your life."

"Why would it be a mistake, Dad? I love Goten and he loves me. We're going to get married eventually."

Her _tou-san_ scowled deeply at this and Bra had to suppress the urge to smirk at him. _Serves him right._

"This is much more serious than any little pathetic ceremony humans have come up with."

"Fine, then spit it out."

"Grrrr," he growled. "You are a very impertinent brat, just like your mother."

Bra just stared at him while he continued, "Saiya-jin mating is a union of a male and a female which is lifelong and unbreakable. Mated Saiya-jins cannot get divorced or separated. It would cause great emotional anguish to both parties and we Saiya-jins do not appreciate that sort of pain. We only like physical pain."

"So Saiya-jins do have emotions," she acerbically commented and her father stiffened in response.

"We just don't flaunt them around like the idiotic humans. We have our pride and are taught to suppress them because they are not useful in battle. We are warriors, not _baka_ weaklings."

"Well, Mom is a human."

"This is not the time to talk about your mother," he snapped. Bra realized she'd touched a sore spot and just didn't reply at all, eying her dad. "Okay, continue."

"When a male and a female spend some time together for any reason, they might start forming a bond, being able to catch thoughts and emotions here and there. If they decide the bond is worthwhile and they both agree they want it, they will consummate it. They will both accept each other into their minds and bodies. There will be a deep mental connection. They'll be able to communicate with each other telepathically. Also, it can also be empathic up to the point they want it to be. Most importantly, they will share all their memories, so there is no _privacy_ in this bond. He will know every single stupid little thing you ever did and so will you about him."

Bra stared open-mouthed at her father, trying to digest all this information. Could it be?

"Are you and Mom mated?" she had to ask.

Vegita stiffened yet again and glared at her. "I told you not to bring your mother into this!"

"But Dad, it's important. I want to know if you've had personal experience with this."

He made a chocked sound and shook his head. "I will not tell you about this. If you want to know, you'll have to ask your mother."

"Fine, I'll definitely ask her. One more question. What if someone didn't want this bond?"

"If one of the parties rejects the budding bond, he or she should go away as far as possible form the other. We Saiya-jins are very possessive and selfish, and will fight for the bond if we want it. Didn't the _baka_ act a little more aggressive than usual at the beginning, pursuing you, pushing?"

Bra didn't respond, which was probably enough of an answer for her father. He snorted and tossed her a nasty look.

"So basically, the one who doesn't want it has to leave?"

"Yes."

Bra exhaled shakily.

"So what is your decision?" her father asked her shortly.

"Obviously, Dad, I can't make a decision like that right away. I have to talk to talk to my mom so she can give me more details. I also have to talk to Goten and we'll probably have to think about it and come to a decision together."

"Ugh, you are so human," he spat, growling.

"What did you expect, _Tou-san_, that you would freak me out with your bond story and I would promise to break up with Goten right away?"

Vegita sniffed and Bra laughed, "Oh Father, whatever. It might have scared you but it doesn't scare me. I gotta go to Mom. She won't be happy when she hears of all this."

"Did she already know about it?"

"Yes," Bra admitted. "She did."

Vegita glared and spun around, taking off to _Dende_ knows where looking very, very angry. She sighed and blasted off herself. She had to admit that this whole situation was growing more and more bizarre by the second.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"So then he finally left. I had to come to you for more answers, _Kaa-san_. This is a lot to take in."

Her mother nodded and sat back on the plush sitting room couch, looking grim.

"First of all, Bra, I am very sorry about all this. I can't control everything your dad does, as much as I'd want to sometimes. He is a force of nature to be reckoned with…"

"I know that, Mom. I just need to know, are you two mated?"

"Sort of," Bulma replied, sighing. "The start of our relationship was very rocky and that's an understatement. I would say we didn't have a real one until Trunks was maybe two years old. It was still rough around the edges but he was here to stay, for the most part. I always noticed strange things happening around him, like being able to feel what he was feeling sometimes. At moments I would swear I could hear him out loud speak even when he hadn't."

Bra leaned forward in rapt attention. Her mother was describing exactly what she felt with Goten.

"Then a few more years passed and the strange occurrences became more pronounced. Until one night, I woke up from a terrible nightmare and your father freaked out. Apparently, we had been sharing the same dream. He finally told me about the bond and I told him I wanted to do it. However, he refused to do it completely because he was afraid I wouldn't be able to take in all his memories. Your father has had a terrible life. I think the only comfort he's ever found is in us and that's why he's so intense, especially with us two."

Her mother stopped and smoothed her hands down her slacks, sighing. "Basically we have an incomplete bond. He has access to all my memories and a lot of my thoughts and feelings. I've learned to hide some things but in general, I'm pretty much an open book to him. However, he is _not_ an open book to me. I can very vaguely sense things here and there. When he died at Majin Buu's hands, I felt his death. We do have a lifelong unbreakable connection, though and that's what I wanted. It's his choice to withdraw certain aspects of it from me and I understand."

Bra gaped, astonished. That her mother had gone through the trouble of forming this bond with her mother, even if partially, was amazing. She knew he loved them, but since he showed it so seldom, she often wondered what really went on inside that mind of his. Apparently, her mom knew what did quite a bit.

"How come you'd never told me about this before, Mom?"

"For many reasons. I honestly never thought it would be an issue with you or Trunks, I didn't think you'd be the type to create something as intense as that with someone else. Don't get me wrong, I know you both have the capacity to love deeply and have done so in the past but I was just hoping it would never be an issue. Also, your dad is so tight-lipped and paranoid about everything, specially his Saiya-jin heritage, that I felt it best to keep some things private. I believed it was enough for you and Trunks to know that we are a committed couple and your parents. Not to mention your father made it seem as this Saiya-jin bonding was not a common occurrence, specially among the royal family. It seems Freeza did his best to make it some sort of taboo. He didn't want his subjects to become too attached to each other."

"I suppose I understand," Bra replied after a pause. "I just never thought you were keeping such secrets from me," she accused.

"Sorry," was all her mother replied. It should be enough for Bra that her mom had explained things and apologized for keeping her in the dark, but it did hurt.

After a bit of silence, Bra asked the question that was burning in her chest. "Mom, would Dad have killed Goten?"

"I don't think so, honey. He would have beat him up badly, but I really hope with all my heart that he would have stayed his hand long enough to let him live."

Bra released out a pained breath that seemed to have been stuck in her chest since this whole disaster had all started.

"Thanks Mom. That helps out a lot. It would really hurt if you thought he could be capable of killing someone who meant so much to me."

"Honey, what are you going to do now? You need to talk to Goten about this, because this is a serious matter. And with you two, I doubt there could be any kind of partial bond. Neither of you have the mental control Vegita has acquired over his hard life."

"I know Mom. I need to go talk to him."

With those last words, Bra left her home and headed over to Goten's ki signature, praying she could find the right words to explain everything to him. What would be his reaction?

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

kuso: crap (or worse), expletive  
Chikyuu: Earth  
Shunkan Ido: Goku's teleportation learned in Yardrat  
baka: stupid  
tou-san: dad  
kaa-san: mom  
bakyarou: asshole  
dende: Earth's current god or deity_  
_

_Author's Notes:__ I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_

_Thank you Raditz Silver for the idea about fathers wanting to fight the daughter's mate before approval._


	19. Too Young to Bond

**Just a Kiss  
By: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 19: Too Young to Bond?**

_Thank you TryniaMerin for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words used in italics in this chapter at the end…_

Bra flew furiously towards Goten's house, feeling as if time were slipping by quicker than she could live it. Anxiousness gripped her senses painfully and exhaustion settled thickly in her limbs. Going Super Saiya-jin for the first time had been draining. Not to mention all the emotional upheaval she'd just been put through by her dear, dear father.

Seriously, her dad had some nerve treating Goten that way and threatening to disown her if she continued to date him. He was nuts, out of his mind. Stark raving mad. She was sure once her mom got a hold of him, things would improve and he would get what was coming to him.

Right?

What if they didn't? What if this made his tenuous hold on civility finally snap? She had always known her dad was different than other dads and that she would by no means ever have a normal family life. However, he'd always been there for them in his own way and she loved him with all her heart. He was her dear daddy after all.

Why did he have to ruin things like that? What a horrendous mess she'd managed to get into! Not to mention what had happened to poor Goten!

Eventually, she arrived at her destination, panting with exertion. She was expecting Goten to open the door for her immediately as he usually did but she found it closed. Even though she knocked twice, one answered.

Could her dad have injured him worse than she had previously thought? The notion sent shivers up her spine and set a stone of dread in the pit of her stomach.

The door was unlocked, allowing her to open it tentatively. In addition, the house was dark and she could barely see anything. Walking into his living room, she was finally close enough to truly feel him. She'd sensed his ki before, a bit weak but broadcasting just fine. Bra needed to see him, though, touch him to make sure he was alright.

Goten was sprawled on the couch, face down, snoring like a baby.

She snorted. It was just like Goten to be sleeping like the dead at a time like this. Bra poked him gingerly on his ribs and he stirred slightly.

_Wake up_ she told him through their still tentative bond, directing the thought as loudly as she could into his mind.

"Ahhh!" He woke up with a yell, his eyes opening wide with pupils dilated, practically jumping off the couch.

"It's just me, silly," she said, snickering slightly despite everything.

"Oh, thank _Dende_ you're okay, Bra. I was so worried!"

She spread her arms so he could see all of her. "I'm fine."

"Your cheek is swollen! And your hand is getting sort of purple. Here, sit down," he said as he tugged her down next to him and examined the cut on her cheekbone closely. "Your cheekbone is broken."

"No wonder it hurts like a mother. It'll heal by tomorrow. I hope. Oh gods, Goten, I've got so much to tell you."

"I know," Goten said, his face a bit shadowed by worry and gloom.

Bra stared at her gorgeous boyfriend, not even knowing where to start. He looked so worried, it broke her heart. Furthermore, she doubted that what she was about to tell him would assuage his fears. Although it seemed he had suspected about their bond earlier by the way he hadn't acted too surprised when she'd first communicated with him mentally. She should be upset at the fact that he hadn't told her but couldn't bring herself to even mention it. It wasn't the appropriate moment.

She exhaled loudly and began telling him, "My father explained to me about the Saiya-jin bond… which we seem to be forming. Sometimes when two Saiya-jins spend some time together and like each other, they start developing a mental connection. Once they realize this is going on, they must decide what to do. If they decide it is worth it and want to pursue the bond, the couple will accept it and go fully into each other's minds. He was sketchy with the details; it was hell just to get him to say that."

Goten chuckled weakly, his gaze piercing hers. She swallowed hard. Through their connection Bra could feel the way his heart was hammering, could sense the panic that was threatening to overrun his thoughts.

"So this bond is supposed to be unbreakable," Bra continued shakily. "He said it was nothing like a puny human marriage. You can't get divorced or separated because it would cause tremendous emotional anguish to both parties. I also spoke to my mom and she told me that it is not supposed to be very common. Freeza had managed to scare them witless, enough to have this mating ritual become some sort of taboo. Especially among the royals. I'm surprised my dad even knew as much as he did."

"Do your parents have this bond?" Goten asked intently.

"Sort of. Mom described it as an incomplete bond. Basically he can see into her mind and can communicate with her but she can't see into his. He didn't want a complete bond because of his terrible past. He was sure that it would be too much for her delicate human psyche."

Goten nodded. "That was probably smart."

"Yes," Bra agreed. "I suppose it was. I think my mom would still want it though, regardless. In any case, they are mated in most ways. Their union is unbreakable."

Goten nodded and they both stayed silent for a while.

"Why do you think a race like them would even do that? The bonding thing. I mean, from the little that I've heard, pure Saiya-jins are built mostly for warfare and that is all they care about, pretty much. This sounds like you would be saddling yourself with a walking and breathing liability."

"Well, I'm guessing the women were warriors too. They would go out together to battle with their male mates, no? Maybe there were too many fights between the males to compete for the women? After all, I think my dad said once that there was a three to one ratio of males to females."

"That makes sense," Goten said, laughing a bit. "Also, I imagine that for a Saiya-jin man to stay next to a woman when she gets pregnant and delivers her baby, not to mention also having to take care of them, he might need extra motivation."

Bra giggled a bit and Goten smiled in return. _Perhaps this wouldn't be that bad, after all?_ Bra mused. Apparently her contemplations had been 'louder' than she thought for Goten replied, _Perhaps not._ Bra glanced up, and sent him a look. Goten just shrugged apologetically.

After a bit, Goten broke the silence. "What else did your dad tell you?"

Bra leaned back and sighed a bit. "He also told me that when the bond is created, you would be able to see every stupid little thing I ever did and so I would I. No privacy, he said. All my memories would be open to you."

"Now that's just weird. Why was that included in the bond?" he wondered.

"Beats me," Bra said, shrugging. Her pulse was quickening, though, and she felt very uneasy. "Maybe they took the whole 'two heads is better than one' concept very to heart? Having synchronized thoughts and knowing your partner so deeply would be useful in battle, I think."

"Yes, putting it that way, it does make sense."

She frowned. "I imagine there must be a reason for everything but at this point, it is all speculation. It will take a long time, if ever, for me to get the guts to try to ask my dad about it. Anyway, I am furious with him."

Goten nodded and closed his eyes, looking so weary it was starting to worry Bra.

"What about… what if… someone doesn't want the bond?" he finally asked softly.

Bra exhaled shakily at Goten's question. It was the same thing she had asked her dad. It shouldn't bother her. _He did not mean it in a wrong way. Right?_

"He said that whoever rejects the bond must go as far away as possible from the other person. Saiya-jins are selfish and possessive and the one involved one would try to win him/her at all costs. I suppose that with distance and time the budding connection would fade."

"I see, that makes sense."

"My dad also said some very nasty things," Bra admitted, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "But they aren't important."

"What did he say?" Goten asked.

"He basically disowned me. Well, or he will if I don't stop my relationship with you."

"That _bakayarou_!" he shouted.

Bra was a little surprised by the viciousness that single word conveyed. It was always novel to see Goten lose his temper.

"It's okay," she said, not too convincingly. "I am sure Mom can set him right."

"Oh, Bra, I am so sorry about all this. If only I hadn't…"

"If only what Goten? Are you having regrets now, second thoughts?"

"Are _you_?" His gazed pinned hers again.

It was on the tip of Bra's tongue to say no but somehow the word didn't leave her lips. Her dad's declarations rang in her ears.

_Mated Saiya-jins cannot get divorced or separated. It would cause great emotional anguish to both parties… _

_Most importantly, they will share all their memories, so there is no privacy in this bond. He will know every single stupid little thing you ever did and so will you about him… _

_If one of the parties rejects the budding bond, he or she should go away as far as possible form the other…_

Bra almost growled in frustration. _Why can't I be normal. Why can't I be just human?_

_Because you are Bra, the Saiya-jin Princess._ Goten replied telepathically.

A little startled, Bra eyed Goten balefully and said out loud, "Stop eavesdropping."

"It's not my fault you're so loud in my brain," he teased.

"Ugh how can you joke around in a moment like this?"

He shrugged and grinned a bit ruefully.

"So what are we going to do?" Bra inquired.

Goten tensed slightly. "I think that we need to think about it."

"What is there to think about?" she asked, suddenly very annoyed. He was acting like creating this bond with her would be awful.

"Obviously, Bra, this is a life altering decision. It's more serious than marriage."

"I know that," she snapped peevishly.

Goten looked at her with bewildered eyes. "What do you want me to tell you Bra? This is just nuts."

Bra sighed and crossed her legs. "I know."

Goten was deep in thought and he looked like he had the weight of the world upon his shoulders. She could practically see the wheels turning in that head of his.

"What are you thinking?" she said.

"I think we need some time apart," he reluctantly said.

"_NANI!!??_ Are you breaking up with me?"

"No." Goten held up his arms as if she was pointing at him with a deadly ki ball. "Not at all. I just think that we need time to think this through."

"What do you need to think about? You know what my dad said. If one of us doesn't want the bond, he must go as far away as possible. Do you want to do that Goten? Or you want _me_ to leave?"

"I…" He looked helpless and she could tell he was this close to tearing his hair out. "You're just making this more difficult, dammit! We can't just make a decision like this on a whim."

"A whim? A whim?!! I thought we loved each other," she cried out, hurt and angry.

"Yes, of course I love you, Bra!" he replied truthfully. "But this is way beyond… everything!"

"So let me get this straight," said Bra, getting up from the couch to stand in front of him. "We kiss, you pursue me, we start falling in love and developing a bond. We have amazing, earth shattering sex. I just defied my father for you. He pretty much kicked me out of the house. And all you can say is this is beyond everything and you have to think about it?"

"You are so young!" he blurted out, frustrated.

Bra felt silent after his outburst. He was finally tugging on his hair, his expression a study of pure male frustration.

"Ah, I see what it's like. So it comes back to my age yet again. I thought it didn't bother you Goten, that I am twelve years younger than you. I thought you accepted me as a woman."

"I know you are a woman but you're a _young_ one. You are rich and beautiful… You have the world at your feet," he said with barely repressed emotion.

"Yes, and what of it? Why can't we have the world at _our_ feet? Goten, you are loving, handsome, strong, smart and extremely charming. Together we are better than separate. I understand this whole thing is pretty freaking out there. True, we need to mediate on it but we can do that together, no?"

"No," Goten said, shaking his head. "We'll just end up influencing each other's decision. I think we need to decide this by ourselves. Alone," he emphasized.

"Oh, so just who of us is supposed to leave? You or me? For how long, how far away? Tell me oh-so-much-older-than-me boyfriend?"

"No need to be sarcastic," Goten admonished softly.

"Don't tell me what to do!" she retorted hotly.

"I don't want to fight!" he told her earnestly. "Please, can you try to understand I'm trying to do what's best for you?"

"And what about what is best for _you_ Goten?"

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

"What do you mean it doesn't matter? For once in your life do something for yourself. You want me, I am here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Then I should go then," he said.

"How about your dojo?" she asked, a bit panicked.

"I suppose that can wait."

Her eyes were brimming with tears. What was going on? She didn't understand anything. How could everything have changed so drastically in such a short span of time?

"Goten, why are you doing this? Have you already made your decision? Because if you have and you are going to break up with me, just let me know. Don't feed me the 'we need space' line. It would be easier for me to leave. I can transfer colleges and buy a house somewhere else."

"So you would leave permanently, just like that?" Goten asked, bewildered.

"What the hell does that mean? I don't get you Goten! Weren't you just saying a second ago we needed time apart? It sounds like a line to break up with me."

"No it isn't. You just need time to think!" he reiterated.

Angrily she rolled her eyes and snorted. "Oh my GOD! FINE! I am going to take an extended vacation. If by the time I come back you are still spouting this bull, I will have to make you understand with other methods. You are not the only one who can pursue the one they want."

A slight smile graced Goten's face before it melted into a concerned expression yet again.

"Don't leave mad at me, babe."

"Do not 'babe' me now. I am _pissed_ off at you. Where do you think you're coming from, treating me like a child?" she screeched.

"I am not treating you like a child."

"Whatever," Bra snapped. "Don't worry about a thing. I will be out of your hair by tonight."

"You know perfectly well it's not like that, Bra."

"Pttt, whatever" she snorted, already walking towards the door.

"Can I at least get a goodbye kiss?"

Bra fell silent and her whole body stiffened, not knowing what to do. Should she give in to this tremendous temptation or should she stay strong and push him away like he deserved? He advanced on her and her mouth went dry.

Before she could formulate an answer to her internal debate, Goten stepped up to her and got a hold of the back of her neck immediately pressing his silken lips to hers; seeking entrance into her mouth with his delicious tongue. She tilted her head and he deepened the kiss, earning a mutual groan. It was exquisite, desperate, animalistic. She threaded her fingers through his thick hair with one hand while the other gripped his back. Her head was swimming and if he had tugged her down to the carpet to have her right there in the middle of his living room, she would have consented happily. In fact, she was almost ready to do so herself. He crushed him to her and his hands wandered over her in reverence as if it were the last time he would ever have her in his arms.

And perhaps it could be.

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_I let her go… am I an idiot? I just let her walk out, and thinking I don't really want the bond. Oh God, have I made a mistake?_ Goten wondered, punishing himself emotionally.

Was he the biggest _baka_ in the whole wide freaking world? Every single fiber of his being had desired to hold on to her and never let her go. To consume her and tie her down to him until she could never, ever escape. Even if she wanted to do it. To make her scream out in pleasure until her voice was raw and no doubts remained of who was her master.

But the rational part of his psyche warned him he needed to tread carefully. One mistake now would affect the rest of his life later. Their lives. She was too precious to him, too vital to toy with. No matter how much he wanted her, he had to be sure she wanted him as well, just as fiercely as he did.

A distant corner of his mind told him his cell phone was ringing. Apparently, it had been thrilling for quite a bit for the screen said there were ten missed calls. As soon as he'd shakily flown over his home after the confrontation with the Prince, he had collapsed on the couch, sapped of all energy and will.

All of the missed calls were from Trunks. There were also a few messages left as well. Apparently, their altercation had been sensed by him and Goten wondered if the other warriors of their close knit group would come pounding on his door.

Not likely. After all, he hadn't raised his ki much. If anything, they would think it was a violent sparring session between Vegita and Bra.

What was he supposed to tell his best friend? Trunks was a smart guy, he was sure that he had already figured out exactly what had happened. Goten knew he needed to let him know things were under control… for now.

He punched Trunks' speedial tiredly, preparing himself for the barrage of questions that would be upcoming.

"Goten! Finally you decide to call me back. What in the name of all that is unholy is going on?" he demanded.

"The crap hit the fan. Your father tried beating me up but Bra managed to stop him before he crushed me to a pulp. She went Super Saiya-jin. It seems Bra and I are bonding Saiya-jin style and Vegita didn't appreciate this too much. I basically escaped with my nonexistent tail between my legs and let Bra handle it. He pretty much said he would disown her if she didn't break it up with me. Oh, and my dad and mom showed up to the function too, with front row seats."

"HOLY CRAP!" Trunks yelled out. "What the… _Kuso_. Are you okay?"

"For the most part. Just a couple broken ribs and a bruised kidney. My pride is more damaged than anything else. Oh and I let Bra go."

Trunks basically gasped. "You did what?!"

"I told Bra she needed to think about it. She said she was going to take an extended vacation."

"Alright, I'm heading over there _right now_. Do not move an inch."

"Not planning to," Goten replied, grumbling.

Hanging up Goten moaned. _Great, now I'm going to get grilled by my best friend, who also happens to be my girlfriend's brother AND the son of the dude who just tried killing me. Awesome._

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"Pan, we are leaving on a vacation. Tonight. Make the necessary arrangements," Bra practically barked at her best friend over the phone. She was opening up capsule suitcases all over the place, all the while stuffing junk in them. However, she wasn't really paying attention to what she was packing.

"Come again?" Pan replied. "What the hell is going on? Grandma just called saying the picnic was canceled. Wouldn't tell my _kaa-san_ why. And now you want to leave?"

"Yeah. Didn't you feel the exploding ki a while ago?" Bra asked.

"Sure I did but I just thought… wait, no wonder it felt different. Was that… was it you?" Pan asked suspiciously.

"Yes," she replied succinctly.

"You went Super Saiya-jin," Pan said, a note of ill concealed envy in her voice.

"Yes I did. Trust me, it wasn't pretty. It hurt like hell. I feel like a stampede of angry buffaloes just had a party all over my body. But I need to leave tonight and I want to leave with you."

Pan protested hotly. "But our classes… we have our finals soon!"

"I'll arrange everything. Trust me, the Briefs surname goes a long way. We will have no problems."

"My six month anniversary with Ben was coming up in a few days."

"I'll also fly him over. It will be even more romantic. Now can you please start packing?" Bra practically ordered her.

She heard her friend grunt. "Why do I let you control me this way?"

"Because I am Bra Briefs. Come on, we are best friends, I would do the same for you. Just hurry up."

"Grrr… you… Ugh. Where are we going?"

Bra rummaged through a drawer as she spoke. "To a remote tropical island. Owned by my mom."

"Are you going to tell me what the hell happened?"

"Let's just say all hell broke loose with my father and he tried killing Goten. Oh and also Goten sort of dumped me."

Pan screeched, "WHAT!!!????"

"He said I needed time to think about it. Alone."

"Erm… Maybe he didn't mean…"

"As far as I am concerned, he basically dumped me."

"And you're going to let it go that easy?" Pan inquired.

Bra grinned viciously into the distance. Pan would have probably been a bit freaked out at the almost demonic light that had lit her friend's eyes. Fortunately she couldn't see how much Bra resembled her father at the moment.

"Of course not. He is mine, whether he wants to be or not. I will just let him have some time to miss me. He will come crawling back soon enough."

"Bra are you sure this is the way you want things to roll, I mean…"

"Just please start packing already, Pan?" the heiress interrupted. "I will be there in twenty minutes."

Bra could barely hear what Pan grumbled under her breath but it sounded curiously like she was using the words "bitch", "spoiled brat", "arrogant uppity girl" among others to describe her.

But she still went ahead and started packing.

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

Dende: Earth's current god or deity  
baka: Stupid, idiot  
bakayarou: asshole  
nani: what  
kuso: crap (or worse), expletive

_Author's Notes: I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


	20. Decisions

**Just a Kiss  
by: Sarah Slutz**

**Chapter 20: Decisions**

_Thank you Trynia Merin for beta reading!_

_Translations for Japanese words in italics used in this chapter at the end…_

After hanging up on Pan, Bra took a while packing, wasting time on purpose. She supposed she was stalling; waiting for something to happen that would change the course of events that were occurring. Again, she wondered how could everything had gone so wrong?

When her packing was completed, she commenced making the needed phone calls. What she had told Pan was true, mentioning her surname was always a sure way of persuading people to do whatever she asked of them. Her professors agreed to let her take the finals from wherever she was, as well as Pan's. Then she also contacted a modeling agency that had booked her for a photo shoot that would benefit a children's charity. She rescheduled that along with some other appointments she'd made for the coming week. Next, she contacted her manicurist, hairdresser and beauty consultant too. Examining her appointment calendar for the next couple of weeks she mused, _Wow, I am a vain woman, aren't I? Oh well, like mother like daughter, right?_ _After all, it was Kaa-san who set my first beauty consultant appointment when I was six._

There was one last thing she needed to do... she had to inform her mom that she was going away for a while and that she couldn't help her with the Sony presentation they were still working on. Also, she wasn't going to be present in the meeting with the PR consultants in a few days. Bulma was not going to be pleased but really, what other choice did Bra have? She needed to get away.

As she walked towards her mother's labs, she felt puzzled when she didn't sense her ki in the vicinity. Her mom's ki was pretty weak - after all, her forte was not her physical strength - but Bra could hone in on it easily enough. She was her mom after all. Bra frowned as she continued searching for it to no avail for a few seconds; suddenly, she found it and also felt another ki next to her _kaa-san's_; a vastly more powerful, even in slumber, male ki.

_Oh, I HAVE to see this confrontation. There's no way in hell I am missing this..._

"Where the hell have you been, Vegita! You had me worried sick! After what our daughter told me, I was browsing through the news, praying you hadn't gone berserk. Can you explain to me what has gotten into you?" came her mother's aggravated voice.

They had met in the courtyard, out in the open, so Bra repressed her ki as low as it would go and floated as high as she was capable of while still being able to see and hear them. She was hoping her father would either be too distracted by her mother's screaming to notice... or that even if he did spot her, he wouldn't care.

Her dad growled back at her mom. He was wearing the same outfit that he had been sporting at the confrontation hours before -jeans and a T-shirt. Vegita had obviously not been affected much by the fight, for not even his clothes were damaged. "What's gotten into _me_ you ask? Your daughter has formed an alliance with Kakarot's son. I tolerate them practically on a daily basis for several reasons that I'd rather not delve into, but this is just unacceptable, Bulma. I will not stand for it."

Her mom stamped her foot in anger. "MY daughter, huh? So usually she's your little princess but if she takes a wrong step, she morphs into _my_ daughter. Nice."

Vegita just stood there in his classical pose, glaring at her mom with his head raised high.

Bulma sighed. "You will stand for it, Vegita. Your daughter loves this man and he loves her. I am sorry if you are still hung over your rivalry with Son-Kun. I honestly thought you were over that. But no matter what, you will not do this to _our_ daughter. She worships you, haven't you noticed? And you really hurt her today with your actions."

"Woman, it wasn't my intention to..." her dad started saying, but then his face hardened once more and he grinded his teeth to stop whatever words were going to finish that phrase. "I have spoken. She will not continue with Goten. The end."

"What is it that you're afraid of Vegita, that our families will be interconnected? Well, newsflash for you, buddy. We already are. Son-Kun has been a constant in my life since I was sixteen and your son and Goten and inseparable, not to mention Pan and Bra are best friends as well," her mom tried reasoning.

"I am NOT afraid," her dad growled, his face thunderous. "It is not a match I desire."

"Most parents aren't happy with their children's choices, honey, but she's old enough to decide now, and she has chosen Goten. He is a very good guy and I for one am ecstatic she's found her match. And they are bonding on top of everything, isn't that romantic?"

Vegita made a chocking noise and Bulma immediately saw she'd made a tactical error. She moved closer to him and placed her delicate white hand on his bare bicep. Looking up at him, she beseeched him with her eyes.

"Vegita... I understand. You will never truly be friends with Goku, and you resent him for so much. It's alright to feel that way. Have I ever asked you to stop feeling they way you feel? No. All I've asked you is to make an effort to be as civil as you can to my circle of friends. Besides, you need him to spar with. He's the only one that can give you a challenge in this planet."

Vegita tilted his head and kept his silence, but his stance had relaxed marginally. Bra was very impressed with her mother at that moment and the way she was handling her father.

"I know you'd do anything for us Vegita... if you could do what you did when Majin Buu... can't you do this one single thing? For your daughter? For me?"

Bra could see her dad flinch under those soft words and he hissed, "I have repeatedly requested that you do not mention that incident to me... ever."

"I know, and for the most part I've honored that request... but this is too important, dear. I am not asking you to give them your open approval, just please don't get in their way. If you want, you can go on an extended training trip for a while and come back when the dust has settled. No one else really knows what's happened and I assure you I will make sure neither Chichi nor Goku will tell anyone," her mom said.

"You presume to kick me out? Send me away?" _Tou-san_ asked.

"No, I would never do that. It is merely a suggestion. It would serve several purposes... you would blow off some steam and you wouldn't be around to have to endure seeing the situation you don't like until you've come to terms with it."

Her dad turned his face away and looked like he was struggling mightily with himself. He opened his mouth several times to speak but closed it shut. Finally, he directed his dark eyes to her mother's blue ones and said, "Would you go away with me?"

"What?!" Bulma yelled, astonishment present in all her features.

"Is something wrong with your hearing? I asked if you would come with me. Perhaps it is time to finish what we started years ago with our bond. Let's leave the brats to fend for themselves."

The sun seemed to dawn on Bulma's face. Her eyes were sparkling with tears and she smiled so widely, it almost hurt to see it. "I... I... Of course I will Vegita, where would you take me to? Oh, what should I pack? This is so exciting!" Bulma blubbered, fairly shaking in excitement.

"I will take you nowhere if you don't cease your blathering!" he snapped.

"But..." her mom protested.

"Not one more word," he warned.

Bulma smirked at Vegita, unconsciously imitating his favorite facial expression almost to perfection. Since their heads almost at the same height, all she had to do to kiss him was lean forward slightly, which is what she did. Her mom kissed her dad passionately, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. For a moment, Vegita's arms remained passive at his sides, fists clenched; but then wrapped around her waist abruptly in a tight embrace.

Blushing bright red, Bra turned away and headed into the house, not before hearing her mom whisper, "I love you," and her dad replying, "I know."

So, she'd been right after all. She'd known her mom could fix this latest horrible problem, although she wasn't naïve enough to believe it had been all her doing. Her dad had _let_ Mom sway him, for otherwise, she doubted he would have caved so easily. The simple fact he had come back home so quickly to hear the music proved that most likely, he had already been regretting what he had done. Well, at least as much as the proud Saiya-jin no Ouji could regret anything. Thank _Dende_, though, for she didn't know what would've happened if her dad had kept opposing them. She would have continued to be with Goten, of course, but it wouldn't have been the most ideal of situations. What a relief that this that part of the current circumstances was under control.

But now what? How was _she_ supposed to fix things with her own future mate? If her parents, who were so different in so many ways, could manage to understand each other so well, why couldn't she do the same with Goten?

Her dad would no longer be an obstacle. The only thing left to do was figure out how to make Goten understand they were meant to be.

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"So, are you finally ready to tell me what's been going on lately?" Gohan asked Goten, a concerned expression shining from his compassionate eyes.

"Yes, Brother, I am," he replied, settling himself on a comfortable couch in Gohan and Videl's home.

"Is it women related?" his older brother asked, sitting across from him and adjusting his glasses.

"_One_ woman. Bra."

"Bra!" Gohan spluttered, his glasses almost falling off after he started so violently.

"Yup. Bra and I have been together, as in relationship wise, for two months."

"_Two months _and you hadn't told me?" asked Gohan, sounding hurt.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention. She didn't want anyone to tell anyone at the beginning. We were still figuring things out and we didn't know how everyone would react. Her mother found out by mistake and so did Yamcha. Today, Vegita caught us right outside our parent's house, and we were planning on telling everyone today at the picnic. We thought he'd left for a training trip. It was a mess. Bra even went Super Saiya-jin."

"So that's what I had felt... I hadn't been sure. No wonder the picnic was canceled… You look like you were put through the meat grinder. Please, tell me everything, from the beginning."

That was exactly what Goten did, not sparing any details, except for those that were not necessary and would embarrass both of them anyhow. Gohan's eyes just kept widening as the tale continued. When Goten started talking about the bond, he gasped.

"Why is that Vegita never told us about this? Videl and I... could we bond this way too?"

"Do you sometimes feel her emotions and do you two have a connection so deep, it scares you sometimes?" asked Goten.

"Yes," replied Gohan, his eyes shining with so many emotions it made Goten look away.

"Then I would say it was just years overdue," he whispered.

"This is just... Wow," Gohan stammered. "I suppose I am going to have to talk with Vegita myself now. I am not looking forward to that. Goten, for what it's worth, I think you did the right thing with Bra."

Goten buried his head in his hands, and shuddered. "It's worth a lot, Gohan, thanks. Trunks called me an idiot but I knew you'd see it my way. I didn't want to make a mistake and have her hate me forever."

Gohan nodded. "I understand. When Videl and I finally decided to be together, there were many obstacles and one of the biggest ones was the fact that Videl would age so much faster than me. I didn't know if I wanted to subject both of us through that ordeal. In the end, though, Videl convinced me it would be worth it and besides, no matter who I got with, it would be the same if she was human. Videl, was my heart, and still is."

Goten smiled at his brother and then grinned widely. "You still sound like a lovesick teenager. Do you think I will still sound like one in twenty years?"

"Sure, why not? We are Sons after all," Gohan chuckled heartily and Goten did so too.

"I still feel like a jerk, though, the way I was so aggressive at the beginning. I couldn't help it. Could it be that I pushed Bra into this... that once the initial infatuation fades she'll realize she made a mistake?"

"You shouldn't think like that, Goten. Bra is a girl that knows her mind. You yourself said she's been in love with you for years," his brother pointed out.

Goten shook his head, "Yes, but...Ugh, I've run out of buts. I just don't want to lose her! At the same time, I also want to make sure this is what she really wants. What should I do now?" Goten inquired, turning his eyes toward his older, stronger and wiser brother.

"I think that perhaps you should let her know how much she means to you before she leaves. Explain that you only want the best for her but that you do want to be with her. Perhaps she left with a different impression and it would be best if you revealed that. She deserves to know before she makes a decision."

"You're right," Goten said. "But if I go see her now, there is no way I'm going to be able to let her go again."

"Hmmm," Gohan hummed, his countenance serious. He seemed to be concentrating, perhaps pinpointing someone's ki. Then he smiled.

"Bra is still in Capsule Corp and my daughter is here, upstairs. You could talk to her and tell her to relay the message to Bra."

"Perfect! Why didn't I think about that?" Goten said, smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand.

Gohan chuckled and scratched the back of his head. _Do I also look that dumb when I do that?_ Goten wondered, grinning. He then turned towards the stairs and stomped up to the second floor, honing in on Pan's ki.

He knocked on her door and immediately Pan opened it, looking somber and ready for a battle, almost. When she realized who it was at the other side of her doorstep, she blinked and then scowled.

"Oh, it's you. Do you have ANY idea how much trouble you've caused me, huh?"

"Erm..." he stammered.

Pan pulled him forward and closed the door soundly behind them. Subsequently, she stepped back and crossed her arms. "Bra is quite upset. She has demanded I go with her on an extended trip. See the packing?" she gestured towards the capsule suitcases on her bed.

"Sorry?" Goten said, his head down.

"What are you going to do to fix this? Bra is under the impression you dumped her."

"But I..." he started but Pan cut him off.

"Even I understand what you were trying to do, Goten but I guess it's going to take a while for Bra. Right now she's still dealing with stuff over at her place for the trip but Goten, you have to do something!" she tersely informed him.

"That's what I'm trying to do right now. I want you to relay a message to her," he said.

"What message?" Pan's eyes narrowed to suspicious slits.

He took a deep breath. "Tell her that I love her now and forever. That I do want this bond with her, and I understand everything that goes with it. Tell her that by no means was I dumping her, I just want her to make her own decision because it is life altering and extremely serious. I am not underestimating her because of her age. I was just trying... I merely... I want the best for her. She is my everything. I will understand and accept any decision she makes. Can you tell her that?"

Pan turned her moist eyes up to his and nodded. "That was the most romantic thing I ever heard!"

"Thanks," Goten said, blushing profusely. "But you have to do me one more favor."

"Anything," she said, grinning.

"You must wait until you are at your destination."

'But why?" Pan asked, shocked.

"I still want her to think about it. I don't want my words to sway her before her rational mind has a chance to kick in. You do understand, right?"

"Yes, but..."

"You said anything, Panny. Please, I'm begging you."

"Okay, I'll do it, but you owe me big time," huffed Pan, crossing her arms again.

"I know."

Pan shook her head and asked, "Can you explain to me about this bond? What the hell is it?"

"Ask Bra, it's best if I leave now before the notices I'm here."

"Fine," Pan grunted. "Honestly, you two are just trouble."

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"Alright, all ready to go!" Pan said, smiling brightly when Bra arrived to pick her up.

"You seem awfully cheery," Bra complained.

"Oh, I just have a feeling everything will be cool. Chin up, Bra, it's not as bad as you think."

"How would you know? This isn't very supportive of you, Pan, I am suffering here," Bra complained.

At least Pan had the grace to look a bit guilty about that when she lowered her eyes. Or was she trying to hide her amusement? Was her friend aware of something she didn't know?

She sent Pan a suspicious look but when she raised her eyes to look at Bra, they were as innocent as can be.

"Sorry, it's just I can't understand why you don't see what I see. It is so obvious he is just trying to do the right thing. I am sure it wasn't easy for him."

Bra snorted. "It isn't easy for me either. He even mentioned my age. Grrr, when I get my hands on him..."

"... You are going to jump him," Pan finished for her and then smirked widely.

"You are NOT being a good friend right now," Bra huffed.

"On the contrary, I am being your best friend. Did you talk to our professors?" Pan asked, evidently trying to sway the direction of the conversation. Bra let it slide and nodded as she adjusted her Hermes special edition backpack filled with capsules. Pan merely had three, which she had already stuck in her pockets.

"I have to tell my dad," Pan said as they went down the stairs.

"You haven't told him yet? What if he has a problem with it?" Bra scolded.

"With things like these, it's better to catch him off guard. He is far too smart and likes thinking things through a bit too much," said Pan.

"Well, what about your mom?" Bra wondered.

"Mom is with Grandma, and she's more indulgent with me in any case... Don't worry about it, just wait here."

Bra was left standing in the hallway while Pan walked towards where her dad was sitting in the living room, reading a thick book. He had been glancing their way but then lowered his eyes back to the book as soon as he noticed her looking. Did he know what was going on already?

Pan and Gohan spoke in low voices so their words were pretty indistinct. Gohan didn't seem agitated at all. He nodded several times and a small grin even escaped his lips. Her best friend then returned to her side and they left silently.

"So what did he say?" Bra asked as they took off for the four hour flight to the island. They slowly gained altitude and Pan took her sweet time replying. Gritting her teeth, Bra awaited her answer not too patiently.

"He said it was good for to me to be there for a friend in need and was relieved to know that it wouldn't affect my studies."

Raising an eyebrow, Bra eyed Pan and swept her hair back, as it was impairing her vision in mid-air. "Is that all?"

"Yes, why, should there have been something else?"

Bra frowned and looked forward again. Her hair batted her eyes once again and she almost hissed in annoyance. "Did you bring a scunchy with you by any chance?" she asked Pan.

"No, sorry. I have some in my capsules but not on me, besides the one I am using," Pan said as she fingered her tied-back hair.

"Great," Bra grumbled.

The truth was Bra really tried very hard to stay silent during the flight. For a space of perhaps forty-five seconds. After that great amount of time, she couldn't take it anymore and she turned to Pan and said, "I have no idea what I am going to do now Pan! How long am I suppose to stay away? Am I even doing the right thing? Should I be convincing him for the huge mistake he is making? What if he doesn't even really want me? I mean, it's all happened so fast and it all did start with a drunken kiss… maybe it really isn't real…"

"Bra, stop it, that's not true," Pan interrupted her, frowning. "You are taking things _way_ out of proportion. I know my uncle loves you, alright? I have seen it with my own nauseated eyes."

"You don't know that, it could simply be infatuation," Bra replied.

"Why are you acting so insecure, Bra? Why are you doubting the last two months of your life? I was there too, alright and I am telling you, it's not like that."

"But…"

Thus it continued. For a little over four hours Bra examined her relationship with Goten from top to bottom, telling Pan far more that she ever wanted to know about her uncle. She examined every angle, looked for flaws in both of them, and detailed how things could go wrong in every manner possible.

By the time they were half way there, Pan had started to scream, frustrated and unable to hammer any sense into Bra's twisted reasoning. Bra knew she was out of control and venting on her best friend, but she couldn't help it. She was in emotional pain and didn't know of any other way to release it.

"Bra, SHUT UP ALREADY! I SWEAR, I AM ABOUT TO KICK YOUR ASS!!!" Pan shouted.

"Don't tell me what to do! You wouldn't be able to kick my ass, anyway!" yelled back Bra.

"AHHHHH, I can't take it anymore!"

Pan descended as fast as she could and Bra did her best to keep up with her. "Don't fly away from me, you little idiot."

Landing heavily on the sandy shore, Pan faced Bra, her expression defiant. She looked ready to burst.

"That DOES IT. I promised Goten that I would wait until we got to our destination and we are here. I can't take it anymore. You are insane Bra. THAT'S IT!!!"

"What do you mean 'you promised Goten'? Did you talk to him before we left? TELL ME!!!" Bra lunged towards Pan and grabbed handfuls of her blouse, pulling her forward till they were nose to nose. "Tell me NOW!!!"

"OH dear _Dende_, you need a shrink," Pan groused. She pushed Bra hard enough to make her fall back on her butt and hovered over her, scowling darkly.

"Goten came to my house before we left and he told me to give you a message. He said that he loved you and would always love you no matter what decision you made although, at the moment, I can't imagine why!"

"Spit it up, stupid! What else did he say!" asked Bra, a desperate and pleading tone present in her voice. Bra didn't even bother to get up from her prone position. She noticed Pan's stance relax a bit and then saw her friend sigh.

"He said the most romantic things, Bra. He told me to tell you that he does want this bond with you and understands all the consequences. He just wanted to do what was best for you and didn't want you to jump into a life changing decision you might regret later. The choice is yours Bra, and he will accept whatever you decide. Oh, and he also said he doesn't underestimate you because of your age."

Bra gasped and felt her stomach drop. She suddenly felt dizzy and elated, tense and joyfull, all at once.

"The decision is mine? But… he… so he still loves me and does want the bond. He was just being a protective boyfriend. Oh, I don't even deserve him, I…"

Bra started weeping instantly, and great sobs shook her small frame, making her shudder uncontrollably. "I… I doubted him and… and d-do-doubted myself. I am su-such an i-idiot!" she cried.

Suddenly, a warm body was next to hers, embracing her. Pan put her arms around Bra and stroked her hair, murmuring, "It's alright Bra. This is not an easy situation with an easy solution. It's okay to feel overwhelmed. Don't be too hard on yourself."

Nodding, Bra sniffled and hugged Pan tightly. "I am sorry for being such a bitch, Pan. You're always such a g-good friend t-t-to me," she stammered.

"Hey, I'm used to it and you are also a very good friend. You're always there for me so we are even, don't even sweat it. Although, next time you act like this, I will slap sense into you. Does that sound alright?"

"Yeah," Bra chuckled weakly. "I certainly deserve it."

"What are you going to do now?" Pan asked her, releasing her and looking down at her seriously.

"I am going to Goten of course. It is only just that I be the one to pursue him this time."

Pan sighed in relief. "Good, so does that mean we can go home now?"

"Yes, let's go. I need to make myself presentable first, of course," said, Bra, wiping her face with the back of her hands. "I can't face my future mate looking like this.

"If only we knew instant transmission. I swear, I will badger Grandpa until he teaches me next time we train," Pan complained.

"That would be nice."

"Alright, let's go," Pan said, holding out her hand to Bra. She smiled brilliantly and took the offered limb, although she really didn't need assistance to get up.

"You will be my maid of honor at my wedding, right?" Bra asked, grinning.

"I better be after all you've both put me through!" Pan reminded her, mock threateningly.

To be continued…

Japanese words used in this chapter:

Dende: Earth's current god or deity  
kaa-san: mom  
tou-san: dad

_Author's Notes: I am BEGGING you on bent knees to please review. There is no pride here, just the desire to hear what you have to say about my fic…_


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